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Class __ ■ . "- ' _ 
Book I : „__ 



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JOURNAL 



OP A 



THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY (fr A 

NORTH-WEST PASSAGE 
FROM THE ATLANTIC TO THE PACIFIC ■ 

PERFORMED IN THE YEARS 1824—25, 
IN HIS MAJESTY'S SHIPS 

HECLA AND FURY, 

UNDER THE ORDERS OF 

CAPTAIN WILLIAM e/pARRY, R.N., F.R.S. 

AND COMMANDER OP THE EXPEDITION. 



ILLUSTRATED BY A MAP. 



PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY OF THE LORDS COMMISSIONERS 
OF THE ADMIRALTY. 

i&Ti — ; 



So, 

PHILADELPHIA: 

H. C. CAREY AND I. LEA.— CHESNUT STREET 

1826. 



MIFFLIN AND PARRY, PRINTERS. 






y$\ 



TO 
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE 

LOKD VISCOUNT MELVILLE, 

FIRST LORD COMMISSIONER FOR EXECUTING THE OEFICE OF LORD 
HIGH ADMIRAL OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND, 

&c ire, &C. 

THIS VOLUME, 

CONTAINING 

THE JOURNAL OF A THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE FROM THE 

ATLANTIC TO THE PACIFIC, 

UNDERTAKEN AND EXECUTED UNDER THE AUSPICES OF HIS LORDSHIP, 

IS INSCRIBED, 

WITH THE GREATEST RESPECT AND GRATITUDE, 

BY HIS OBLIGED AND FAITHFUL SERVANT, 

WILLIAM EDWARD PARRY. 

Abmibaitt, June, 1826, 






ADVERTISEMENT. 



The English Edition of this Work is accompanied by a 
series of Meteorological Tables, which would greatly increase 
the bulk, and of course the expense of this Edition, if ap- 
pended thereto. On mature reflection, the Publishers have 
judged it advisable to omit them, as not being of general uti- 
lity proportioned to the additional expense to the purchasers. 
The public Libraries contain the Quarto Edition of the Voy- 
age, where the curious may consult them. 



CONTENTS. 



JPAGE 

Introduction ....... ix 

Official Instructions ....... xvi 

CHAPTER I. 

Passage to the Whale-fish Islands, and removal of Stores from the 
Transport — Enter the Ice in Baffin's Bay — Difficulties of pene- 
trating to the Westward — Quit the Ice in Baffin's Bay — Remarks 
on the Obstructions encountered by the Ships, and on the Severi- 
ty of the Season ...... 27 

CHAPTER n. 

Enter Sir James Lancaster's Sound — Land at Cape Warrender — Meet 
with young Ice — Ships beset and carried near the Shore — Driven 
back to Navy-Board Inlet — Run to the Westward, and enter 
Prince Regent's Inlet — Arrival at Port Bowen . . 42 

CHAPTER in. 

Winter Arrangements— Improvements in Warming and Ventilating the 
Ships — Masquerades adopted as an amusement to the Men— Es- 
tablishment of Schools — Magnetic and Astronomical Observations — 
Meteorological Phenomena . . . . . ' 55 

CHAPTER IV. 

Meteorological Phenomena continued—Re-equipment of the Ships — 
Several Journies undertaken — Open Water in the Offing — Com- 
mence sawing a Canal to liberate the Ships — Disruption of the 
Ice — Departure from Port Bowen . . 79 



Viil CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER V. 

Sail over towards the Western Coast of Prince Regent's Inlet — Stop- 
ped by the Ice — Reach the Shore about Cape Seppings — Fa- 
vourable progress along the Land — Fresh and repeated obstruc- 
tions from Ice — Both ships driven on Shore — Fury seriously da- 
maged — Unsuccessful Search for a Harbour, for heaving her down 
to repair ....... 96 

CHAPTER VI. 

Formation of a Basin for heaving the Fury down — Landing of the Fu- 
ry's Stores, and other Preparations — The Ships secured within 
the Basin — Impediments from the Pressure of the Ice — Fury hove 
down — Securities of the Basin destroyed by a Gale of Wind — 
Preparations to tow the Fury out— Hecla re-equipped, and oblig- 
ed to put to Sea — Fury again driven on Shore — Re-join the Fury ; 
and find it necessary finally to abandon her . . . 112 

CHAPTER VII. 

Some remarks upon the Loss of the Fury — And on the Natural Histo- 
ry, &c. of the Coast of North Somerset — Arrive at Neill's Harbour 
— Death of John Page — Leave Neill's Harbour — Re-cross the Ice 
in Baffin's Bay — Heavy Gales — Aurora Borealis — Temperature of 
the Sea — Arrival in England — Concluding Remarks on some Na- 
tural Phenomena peculiar to the Polar Seas — On the Discoveries 
of the Old British Navigators— And on the North- West Passage 132 



APPENDIX. 

NATURAL HISTORY. 
ZOOLOGY, by Lieutenant James Clark Ross, R.N., F.L.S. . 165 
BOTANY, by Professor Hooker, F.R.A. and L.S. &c. &c. - 196 

GEOLOGY, by Professor Jameson, F.R.S.E., &c. &c. including 
Notes on the Specimens collected during the former Voyages to 
the Polar Regions ...... 210 



INTRODUCTION. 



Notwithstanding the want of success which had attended 
the efforts of the late Expedition to the Polar Seas, the en- 
couragement held out by Captain Franklin's description of 
the navigable state of the sea on some parts of the northern 
coast of America, together with that of the Russians to the 
westward towards Icy Cape, induced His Majesty's Govern- 
ment to cause another attempt to be made for the purpose of 
effecting a passage by sea, between the Atlantic and Pacific 
oceans; and the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty be- 
ing pleased once more to honour me with the command, I 
was appointed to His Majesty's Ship the Hecla on the 17th 
of January, 1824; Captain Henry Parky ns Hoppner having 
received his commission for the Fury on the same day. The 
William Harris, transport, of 342 tons, Lieutenant J. W. 
Pritchard, agent, was appointed to carry a portion of our 
heavy stores across the Atlantic, and to return to England 
after discharging her cargo in Davis's Strait. 

The equipment of this Expedition was, in most respects, so 
similar to the last, that it will only be necessary here to notice 
the few alterations and additions which experience now led 
us to adopt. The principal of these consisted in placing Syl- 
vester's warming stove, before described as so effectual, in 
the very bottom of the ships' holds, the whole being enclosed 



X INTRODUCTION. 

within a strong bulk-head. The main or direct volume of 
warm air escaped through a sliding brass register upon the 
lower-deck; while the flues which passed through the cabins 
of the officers into that of the commander, were made to run 
along the lower part or floor, and nearly close to the ship's 
sides, which are usually the coldest parts. By this improved 
method, an increased rapidity in the current of air was pro- 
duced, and therefore an additional warmth to the cabins most 
distant from the stove. 

In the selection of provisions, -our chief endeavour on this 
occasion was to vary as much as possible the kinds of meat, 
and to increase to the utmost extent our vegetables and anti- 
scorbutics. With this view a small quantity of salt beef was 
substituted for a part of the pork, and a much larger supply of 
newly-corned beef was furnished. The meats preserved in 
tin consisted of beef, mutton, and veal, some seasoned and some 
plain; a pound of preserved carrots or parsnips per week for 
each man was substituted for a pint of gravy soup, and the 
supply of lemon-juice was increased by one-third. For 
the use of the sick, some salmon and cream, preserved in 
tin cases by Messrs. Morrison and Company, were also fur- 
nished; the pickles consisted of onions, beet-root, and cabbage, 
which are by far the best kinds. In order to make the most 
of our stowage, binns were built for the pease and cocoa, in 
the store-room passages; and with the same view sj»&Y-pease 
were furnished, instead of whole ones. For the use of travel- 
ling-parties, we were supplied with a small quantity of beef- 
pemmican, made by pounding the meat with a certain portion 
of fat, as described by Captain Franklin. 

To the list of instruments before furnished, were added an 
invariable pendulum, and several hygrometers on Mr. Da- 



INTRODUCTION. xi 

niell's ingenious construction. Six chronometers were sup- 
plied by government to the Hecla*, and four to the Fury; but 
several* of the makers, with their accustomed emulation, sent 
out watches on trial, making the Hecla' s whole number amount 
to twelve. In addition to our former establishment, Lieute- 
nant Henry Foster was appointed to the Hecla, nominally as 
assistant-surveyor, but in fact to perform the duties of Astro- 
nomer to the Expedition, for which he was fully qualified. 

It being customary to record the names of the officers em- 
ployed on voyages of this nature, a Table is here annexed, 
showing the whole establishment on board each ship. 

* One of these was Mr. Murray's No. 816, which gained one of the annual 
prizes of 3001. at the Royal Observatory, for its superior performance. 



INTRODUCTION. 





ON BOARD THE HECLA. 


ON BOARD THE FURY 




RANK. 










Officers' names. 


No. 


Officers' names. 


No. 


Commander 


William Edward Parry 


1 


Henry Parkyns Hoppnei 


1 


Lieutenants < 


John Land Wynn . } 
Joseph Sherer . C 
Henry Foster . j 


3 


S HoratioThos. Austin f 
f James Clark Ross C 


2 


Surgeon . 


Samuel Neill, M. D. 


1 


Allan M'Laren 


1 


Purser 


William Harvey Hooper 


1 


James Halse 


1 


Assistant-Surgeon 


William Rowland 


1 


Thomas Bell 


1 


r 
J 


John Brunton . -\ 
Francis R. M. Crozier ! 




J Berkley Westropp 1 
«( Chas. Crump Waller > 




Midshipmen < 


Charles Richards . f 


i 


3 


I 


Horatio Nelson HeadJ 




1 Edward Bird . J 




Clerk . 


James Harrison . 


1 


William Mogg 


1 


Gunner . 


John Brothers . 


1 


James Moore 


1 


Boatswain . 


William Smith 


1 


William Wentworth 


1 


Carpenter 


George Fiddis . 


1 


Charles Purfer . 


1 


Greenland Master 


John Allison 


1 


George Crawford 


1 


Ditto Mate . 


George Champion . 


1 


Thomas Donaldson 


1 


Cook 


. 


1 




1 


Leading Men 


. 


4 










4 


Quarter-Master 


. 


1 










1 


Gunner's Mate . 


• 


i 










1 


Boatswain's Mate 


• • . 


1 










1 


Carpenter's Mates 


. 


2 










2 


Armourer's Mate 


. • 


1 










1 


Sailmaker 


. 


1 










1 


Captain's Steward 


. 


1 










1 


Able Seamen 


... 


25 










25 


Marines, 










Serjeant 


Charles Wise 


1 


John Morrison 


1 


Corporal . 




1 


. • . 


1 


Privates 


. 


5 


. 


_f. 




Total 


62 




60 



INTRODUCTION. Xlil 

In the course of our equipment, the ships were frequently 
visited by Sir Thomas Byam Martin, Comptroller of His 
Majesty's Navy, and subsequently by Viscount Melville, and 
the other Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty. Early in 
May, we were ready to proceed down the Thames, having 
now received, as on each former occasion, all possible assist- 
ance from the Navy and Victualling Boards, and from Captain 
Hill, Commissioner of the Victualling Depot at Deptford, in 
every arrangement which could in the slightest degree contri- 
bute to the success of our enterprise, or to our individual 
health and comfort. 



In performing the^uty which has, by their Lordship's di- 
rections, once more devolved upon me, of drawing up an ac- 
count of our proceedings, I have considered it expedient to 
avoid all minute and technical description of our first season's 
operations, which, whatever labour and vexation they may 
have cost ourselves, would probably have afforded little inte- 
rest. or amusement to the public. In the circumstances attend- 
ing our second season's navigation, and particularly those 
relating to the loss of the Fury, I have deemed it right to en- 
ter more into detail; considering, on the one hand, that the 
loss of one of His Majesty's ships is an event too serious to be 
lightly disposed of; and on the other, that I could thus alone 
do justice to the unwearied zeal and exertions of Captain 
Hoppner, our officers, and men, on that occasion. 

The nautical, astronomical, and other observations, together 
with the meteorological registers, and the description of the 
specimens of natural history brought home in the Hecla, have 



XIV INTRODUCTION. 

been thrown into an Appendix, constituting the latter half of 
the present volume. Our observations upon atmospheric 
refractions in high latitudes, and on the diurnal variation and 
change of intensity of the magnetic needle, together with 
Lieutenant Foster's experiments with an invariable pendu- 
lum, have been communicated to, and read before, the Royal 
Society; and as I understand it to be the intention of that 
learned body to honour these several papers by giving them a 
place in their Transactions, the general results alone have, 
by the kind permission of the President and Council, been 
mentioned in this volume. * 

The labours of Lieutenant Foster, in the various and mul- 
tiplied branches of useful science to which his attention is at 
all times directed, and for which his talents so eminently 
qualify him, will in themselves best serve to do him the jus- 
tice which he merits. I should, however, be ill requiting 
Lieutenant Foster for the assistance (and I am happy to ac- 
knowledge the instruction) I have received from him in the 
course of this voyage, if I omitted to bear my testimony to 
the unceasing zeal and assiduity with which he devoted him- 
self to every species of observation and experiment, which 
could promote the several objects of the Expedition, or con- 
tribute to the interests of general science. 

To Professors Jameson and Hooker I beg leave once more 
to offer my warmest acknowledgments for their kindness in 
undertaking to examine and describe the geological and bota- 
nical specimens now brought home. The memoir by the 
former gentleman in the Appendix, will be found to contain 
a valuable and comprehensive account of the geological char- 

• Pages 64, 65, 67. 



INTRODUCTION. XV 

acter of all the lands visited in the course of our discoveries in 
the Polar Regions during the last eight years. To the zeal 
and industry of Dr. Neill, who entirely superintended the 
public collection of specimens of Natural History, and has 
furnished a variety of important geological notices, the pub- 
lic are very highly indebted; and the Zoological Appendix by 
Lieutenant Ross will furnish ample evidence of the attention 
paid by that gentleman to this department of science, in addi- 
tion to the immediate duties of his station. 

I cannot close these introductory remarks, without once 
more attempting to do justice to the merits of those whom it 
has been my good fortune to command on this and the former 
occasions of a similar kind. To Captain Hoppner, who has 
been my constant companion from the very commencement 
of these enterprises, I feel every possible obligation for his 
steady and persevering zeal in this service, and for his advice 
and assistance on every occasion. To the officers, seamen, 
and marines, my best acknowledgments are also once more 
due, for the zealous support I have at all times received from 
them in the course of this service; and I am happy to repeat 
my conviction, that, had it depended on their conduct and 
exertions, our most sanguine expectations would, long ere 
this, have been crowned with complete success. 



OFFICIAL INSTRUCTIONS. 



By the Commissioners for executing the office of 
Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom 
of Great Britain and Ireland, &c. 

Lord Viscount Melville having communicated to the 
King the proceedings of the late Expedition into the Arctic 
Seas,, and his Majesty having been graciously pleased to ex- 
press his commands that another Expedition should be fitted 
out, for the purpose of pursuing the attempt to discover a pas- 
sage by sea between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and of 
ascertaining the geography of the Northern boundaries of the 
American continent; 

We have thought proper to appoint you to the command of 
the Expedition, and you are hereby required and directed to 
put to sea in His Majesty's ship Hecla under your command, 
with His Majesty's ship Fury, whose Commander has been 
placed under your orders; and taking with you the William 
Harris transport, which the Navy Board has been directed to 
place at your disposal, for the purpose of carrying a proportion 
of your provisions and stores across the Atlantic, you are to 
proceed, as quickly as may be consistent with a due care not 
to part company, up Davis's Strait, and, having arrived at the 
latitude in which you may think it advisable to cross over to 
the Western side of that strait, you will take the first favour- 
able opportunity of clearing the transport of the stores and 
provisions with which she is charged for the use of the Expe- 
dition; and, having so done, you are to send the transport 



OFFICIAL INSTRUCTIONS. 17 

back to England, so as to prevent her incurring any danger 
from the ice, reporting, by that opportunity, your proceedings 
to our Secretary, for our information, and then making the 
best of your way with His Majesty's ships, in the prosecution 
of your orders. 

The experience of your former voyages .seems to prove that 
the two channels which afford the most reasonable prospect of 
a passage for the ships into the sea, which bounds the north 
coast of America, are that round Cockburn's Island, near 
which your last voyage terminated, and Prince Regent's Inlet, 
which you discovered in your former. 

Several considerations, but particularly the obstacles which 
you found in Prince Regent's Inlet in 1819, might have in- 
duced us to give the preference to the attempt to make a pas- 
sage round Cockburn's Island j but the strong opinion which 
you have conveyed to us in favour of the attempt through 
Prince Regent's Inlet, the confident hope which you express 
that the ice, which, at the period of the year in which you 
visited the inlet, obstructed your passage, was likely to be re- 
moved by circumstances of season and weather within the 
navigable part of the year; and the confidence which we are 
justified in placing in your judgment and experience, deter- 
mine us to authorize and direct you to pursue the course 
which you consider the most promising, namely, through 
Prince Regent's Inlet 

You will, therefore, after you have despatched the trans- 
port home, make the best of your way to Lancaster Sound, 
and, proceeding through Barrovtf Strait, endeavour to make, 
through Prince Regent's Inlet, your passage into the sea 
which bounds the continent, and thence westward to the 
Pacific. 

Should you succeed, in this first attempt of passing through 
Prince Regent's Inlet, it is probable, from what has been al- 
ready discovered of these parts, that you may find different 
courses opening to you. The decision as to that most likely 
to conduce to the objects of the Expedition, must be referred 



IS OFFICIAL INSTRUCTIONS. 

to your own judgment, on a view of the existing circumstances 
of your own former proceedings, and of the discoveries of Cap- 
tain Franklin (with a copy of whose account of his proceed- 
ings you are furnished), at the mouth, and to the eastward, of 
the Coppermine River. 

If you should . be so successful as to find a practicable pas- 
sage down to the coast of America, you are to make the best 
of your way in accomplishing the main object of the Expedi- 
tion, without stopping to examine that coast, or for any other 
object not of imperious importance; but whenever the ships 
may be checked in their progress by ice, or unavoidable cir- 
cumstances, you will take every opportunity of examining the 
coasts and islands in the neighbourhood, and of making all 
useful observations relating to them. 

His Majesty's government having appointed two Land Ex- 
peditions for exploring the North Coast of America, the one 
under Captain Lyon, to proceed from Repulse Bay across the 
Isthmus towards Akkoolee, and thence along the coast to- 
wards the Coppermine River; the other, under Captain Frank- 
lin, to proceed from Mackenzie's River to the Icy Cape: it 
would be desirable, if you should reach any part of the coast, 
that you should mark your progress by erecting flag-staffs on a 
few of the most distinguishable points which you may succes- 
sively visit, and you are to bury at the foot of each staff a bottle, 
containing such information as you think may be useful to 
the Land Expeditions, and any particulars relative to your 
own proceedings, which you may think proper to add. 

As one of the great difficulties under which Captain Frank- 
lin's last expedition suffered, was the want of provisions, you 
are also to bury at the foot of the flag-staffs such proportion 
and kind of provision as you may think advisable. And, as 
it is possible that the flag-staff may be removed by natives, 
you should surround it by a pile of stones, conspicuous from 
some point of the shore, which may guide the Land Expedi- 
tions to the depots there left. 

It is unnecessary to give you any detailed directions as to 
the concert of signals with them, as you have informed us that 



OFFICIAL INSTRUCTIONS. 19 

you have made arrangements of that nature with Captains Lyon 
and Franklin, respectively; and if you should meet with these 
officers, or their parties, and that they should be desirous of 
coming on board, you are to receive them, bearing them as 
supernumeraries. 

Should you happily reach the Pacific, you are to proceed to 
Kamtschatska, for the purpose of delivering to the Russian 
governor duplicates of the journals and other documents which 
the passage may have supplied, with a request that they may 
be forwarded overland to St. Petersburg, to be conveyed from 
thence to London. From Kamtschatska you will proceed to 
the Sandwich Islands,or Canton, or such other place as you may 
think proper, to refit the ships and refresh the crews; and if, 
during your stay at such place, a safe opportunity should oc- 
cur of sending papers to England, you should send duplicates 
by such conveyance. And, after having refitted and refreshed, 
you are to lose no time in returning to England by such route 
as you may deem most convenient. 

It may happen that your progress along the North Coast of 
the American Continent may be so slow as to render it desira- 
ble that, if you should not be able to accomplish your passage 
into the Pacific earlier than the autumn of 1827, you should 
be assured of finding a depot of provisions at that period, in 
the most advanced situation to which they can safely be con- 
veyed. 

In the event, then, of our not receiving from you such in- 
telligence as may render the measure unnecessary, we shall, 
about the close of the year 1826, direct the Commander-in- 
chief on the South-American station, to despatch a vessel with 
a supply of provisions and stores, so as to be at Behring's 
Straits about August or September 1827. The commander of 
this vessel will be directed to make the best of his way round 
Cape Prince of Wales, where he may expect, as we are in- 
formed, to find an inlet in latitude 68° 30', in which Captain 
Kotzebue is stated to have found anchorage a few years since. 
He will be directed to lie in that anchorage, or in the nearest 
good anchorage he may find to that latitude; and he will be 



20 OFFICIAL INSTRUCTIONS. 

ordered to erect, in the most prominent and visible situation, 
a flag-staff for your direction. As it is possible that you may 
touch at the Sandwich Islands, this officer will be directed to 
call at Owyhee, in order that, if you should have passed to 
the southward, he may not be put to the inconvenience of going 
on to Cape Prince of Wales: and this affords a reason of pre- 
ference for your touching at Owyhee. And you, on your 
part, if you should first reach the neighbourhood of Captain 
Kotzebue's anchorage, should erect a flag-staff, or a pile of 
stones, in some conspicuous place, and bury a bottle with a 
paper, which may acquaint the said officer of your having 
passed. This vessel will be directed to remain in that neigh- 
bourhood as long in the autumn of 1827, as the season will 
admit; and when she is obliged to leave it, her commander 
will bury, under a pile of stones, in some conspicuous place, 
directions where you may find a depot of provisions, of such 
species as he may judge likely to be most useful to you, and 
that he may be able to spare. 

Whenever the season shall be so far advanced as to make it 
unsafe to navigate the ships, on account of the long nights 
having set in, and the sea being impassable on account of ice, 
you are, if you should have so far advanced as to prevent your 
return to England, to use your best endeavours to discover a 
sheltered and safe anchorage, where the ships may be placed 
for the winter; taking such measures for the health and com- 
fort of the people under your command, as the materials with 
which you are supplied for housing-in the ships, or hutting-in 
the men on the shore, may enable you to do. And when you 
find it expedient to resort to this measure, if you should meet 
with any inhabitants, either Esquimaux or Indians, near the 
place where you winter, you are to endeavour, by every means 
in your power, to cultivate a friendship with them, by making 
them presents of such articles as you may be supplied with, 
and which may be useful or agreeable to them. You will, 
however, take care not to suffer yourself to be surprised by 
any attack from them, but use every precaution, and be con- 
stantly on your guard against any hostility. 



OFFICIAL INSTRUCTIONS. 21 

You will endeavour to prevail on them, by such reward, 
and to be paid in such manner as you may think best to an- 
swer the purpose, in the event of your making progress to 
the westward, to carry to any of the settlements of the Hud- 
son's Bay Company an account of your situation and proceed- 
ings; with an urgent request that it may be forwarded to 
England with the utmost possible despatch. 

If you should, on your arrival at Prince Regent's Inlet, 
find the passage to be impracticable, you are at liberty either 
to seek any other opening in that quarter, or to wait in the 
inlet for any change in the state of the ice which you may 
have reason to expect; but if your expectations in this parti- 
cular should be disappointed, and if you should find yourself 
unable, during the favourable season, to effect a passage to the 
southward and westward, it is evident that nothing can be 
gained by wintering in a situation which may in any year be 
reached from England before the passage can be practicable; 
and we, therefore, order and direct that you do not, under 
such circumstances, attempt to winter out, but that if you find 
yourself prevented from proceeding, with some prospect of 
ultimate success, further in that direction than has been already 
explored, you are to take care to ensure your return to Eng- 
land at the end of the present season. 

We deem it right to caution you against suffering the two 
vessels placed under your orders to separate, except in the 
event of accident or unavoidable necessity; and we desire you 
to keep up the most unreserved communications with the 
commander of the Fury, placing in him every proper confi- 
dence, and acquainting him with the general tenor of your 
orders, and with your views and intentions, from time to 
time, in the execution of them, that the service may have the 
full benefit of your united efforts, and that in the event of un- 
avoidable separation, or of any accident to yourself, Captain 
Hoppner may have the advantage of knowing, up to the latest 
period, all your ideas and intentions relative to a satisfactory 
completion of the undertaking. 



22 OFFICIAL INSTRUCTIONS. 

We also recommend that as frequent an exchange take 
place as conveniently may be, of the observations made in the 
two ships; that any scientific discovery made by the one be, 
as quickly as possible, communicated for the advantage and 
guidance of the other, and to increase the chance of the ob- 
servations of both being preserved. 

We have caused a great variety of valuable instruments to 
be put on board the ships under your orders, of which you 
will be furnished with a list, and for the return of which you 
will be held responsible; and we have appointed Lieutenant 
Foster, as assistant surveyor, an officer well skilled in astro- 
nomy, mathematics, and various branches of knowledge, to 
assist you in making such observations and experiments as 
may tend to the improvement of geography and navigation, 
and the advancement of science in general. We deem it un- 
necessary to specify these objects, a detail of which you have 
already been furnished with, in our instructions for the guid- 
ance in your late Expeditions, and to which we refer you; 
not doubting from the zeal and ability with which you have 
conducted the former Expeditions, that you will on this be 
equally diligent in collecting information yourself; and you 
will impress on the minds of Captain Hoppner and all the offi- 
cers under your command, the importance and necessity of 
each respectively using his best exertions to promote the se- 
veral scientific objects of the Expedition. 

From Captain Hoppner we have every reason to expect 
drawings of the land, of natives, and their various implements, 
and of objects of natural history, in which he will be assisted 
by Mr. Head, who has received an appointment as Admiralty 
Midshipman, principally with this view. You are to direct 
Lieutenant Foster to be particularly careful to keep an accu- 
rate register of all the observations that shall be made, in the 
same form, and according to the same arrangement, that were 
followed by Captain Sabine and Mr. Fisher on the late voy- 
ages; and you are to place in charge of Lieutenant Foster the 
several chronometers with which you have been supplied for 
the Hecla. 



OFFICIAL INSTRUCTIONS. 23 

You are to avail yourself of every opportunity of collecting 
and preserving specimens of such objects of natural history as 
may be new, rare, or interesting; and you are to instruct 
Captain Hoppner, and all the other officers, to use their best 
diligence in increasing the collections in each ship; the whole 
of which must be understood to belong to the public. 

The knowledge which Doctor Neill, surgeon of the Hecla, 
has been represented to us to possess in this department of 
science, will be of material service to you in arranging the 
collections of, and making notes upon, the various subjects of 
natural history. In the event of any irreparable accident hap- 
pening to either of the two ships, you are to cause the officers 
and crew of the disabled ship to be removed into the other, 
and with her singly to proceed in prosecution of the voyage, 
or return to England, according as circumstances shall appear 
to require; understanding that the officers and crews of both 
ships are hereby authorised and required to continue to per- 
form their duties according to their respective ranks and sta- 
tions, on board either ship to which they may be so removed. 
Should unfortunately your own ship be the one disabled, you 
are, in that case, to take command of the Fury; and, in the 
event of any fatal accident happening to yourself, Captain 
Hoppner is hereby authorized to take the command of the 
Expedition, either on board the Hecla or Fury, as he may 
prefer, placing the officer of the Expedition who may then 
be next in seniority to him, in command of the second ship; 
also in the event of your own inability, by sickness or other- 
wise, at any period of this service, to continue to carry these 
instructions into execution, you are to transfer them to Cap- 
tain Hoppner, or to the surviving officer then next in com- 
mand to you, who is hereby required to execute them in the 
best manner he can, for the attainment of the several objects 
in view. 

In the event of England becoming involved in hostilities 
with any other power during your absence, you are neverthe- 
less clearly to understand that you are not on any account to 



24 OFFICIAL INSTRUCTIONS. 

commit any hostile act whatsoever; the Expedition under your 
orders being only intended for the purpose of discovery and 
science, and it being the practice of all civilized nations to 
consider vessels so employed as excluded from the operations 
of war. And, confiding in this general feeling, we should 
trust that you would receive every assistance from the ships 
or subjects of any Foreign Power, which you may fall in with; 
but special application to that effect has been made to the re- 
spective governments. 

You are, whilst executing the service pointed out in these 
instructions, to take every opportunity that may offer of ac- 
quainting our secretary, for our information, with your pro- 
gress: and, on your arrival in England, you are immediately 
to repair to this office, in order to lay before us a full account 
of your proceedings in the whole course of your voyage; 
taking care before you leave the ship, to demand from the offi- 
cers, petty officers, and all other persons on board, the logs 
and journals they may have kept, together with any drawings 
or charts they may have made, which are all to be sealed up; 
and you will issue similar directions to Captain Hoppner and 
his officers, &c. ; the said logs, journals, or other documents, 
to be thereafter disposed of as we may think proper. 

Given under our hands, the 12 th of May, 1824. 

Melville, 

Wm. Johnstone Hope, 
G. Cockburn, 
G. Clerk, 
W. R. K. Douglas. 



To 



William Edward Parry, Esq., 
Captain of His Majesty's Ship 
the Hecla. 

By Command of their Lordships 

J. W. Choker.. 



ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS. 



Admiralty Office, 12 th May, 1824. 
Sir, 

In reference to that part of your general orders which 
relates to the ship intended to be sent in the autumn of 1827 
to meet you, I am commanded by my Lords Commissioners 
of the Admiralty to communicate to you the following addi- 
tional information: — 

It is thought advisable, with a view of assisting the ob- 
jects of Captain Franklin's Expedition, that the vessel in- 
tended to meet you in 1827 should endeavour to meet him 
in 1826. 

Her commander will, therefore, be directed to reach those 
latitudes in the summer of 1826, to make such discoveries 
and observations as may open themselves to him, and to look 
out for Captain Franklin, or even for you, if you should be 
so fortunate as to accomplish the passage in that year. 

He will remain in that neighbourhood as late as the season 
will admit, and will then repair to the Sandwich Islands, or 
to the nearest place where he may be able to replenish his 
provisions; when he will, as early as possible in the year 1827 
(if you should not have already met him), proceed to act in 
the manner detailed in your instructions. 

He will mark his proceedings in 1826 by the erection of 
flag-staffs or piles of stones; and with notices where may be 
found a depot of provisions, which he will leave on his de- 
parture that year, as well as in 1827. 
I am, Sir, 

Your very obedient Servant, 

J. W. Croker. 
Captain Parry, Hecla. 



THIRD 
VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 



OP A 



NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 



CHAPTER I. 

PASSAGE TO THE WHALE-FISH ISLANDS, AND REMOVAL OF 
STORES FROM THE TRANSPORT ENTER THE ICE IN BAF- 
FIN'S BAY DIFFICULTIES OF PENETRATING TO THE WEST- 

WARD QUIT THE ICE IN BAFFIN'S BAY REMARKS ON 

THE OBSTRUCTIONS ENCOUNTERED BY THE SHIPS, AND ON 
THE SEVERITY OF THE SEASON. 

The equipment of the Hecla and Fury, and the loading of 
the William Harris transport, being completed, we began to 
move down the river from Deptford on the 8th of May, and 
on the 10th, by the assistance of the steam-boat, the three 
ships had reached the Northfleet, where they received their 
powder and their ordnance stores. Two days were here em- 
ployed in fixing, under the superintendence of Mr. Barlow 
and Lieutenant Foster, the plate invented by the former gen- 
tleman for correcting the deviation of the compass, produced 
by the attraction of the ships' iron; and the continuance of 
strong easterly winds prevented our getting to the Nore till 
the 16 th. During our stay at Northfleet, the ships were 
visited by Viscount Melville, and the other Lords Commis- 
sioners of the Admiralty, who were pleased to approve of on r 
general equipment and arrangements. 



28 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 

On the 18th Commissioner Cunningham came on board, to 
pay the ships' companies their arrears of river wages, and also 
three months in advance. Our few remaining wants were 
readily supplied by the kindness of Vice Admiral Sir Benja- 
min Hallowell, our kind friend Commissioner Cunningham, 
and Commodore Sir Edward Owen; and at three a. m. on 
the 19th, we weighed and stood to sea. On the following 
morning we fell in with his Majesty's sloop Brisk; when her 
commander, Captain Hope, came on board, and it being his 
intention shortly to put into Yarmouth for water, he kindly 
offered to accompany us for a day or two, to take our pilots 
and letters. The Sylvia, revenue cutter, joining us the same 
day, Lieutenant White, her commander, who was immediately 
bound to Harwich, received our letters, with which he parted 
company the same evening. Light and unfavourable winds 
prevented our finally clearing the sands till the 25th, when 
Captain Hope received our pilots, and also our despatches and 
letters, giving us the usual salutation of three hearty cheers, 
as he bore up for Yarmouth. Light and variable winds still 
obstructed our progress, but, by a singular coincidence, we 
passed through the Pentland Firth on the 30th, being the 
same day that we had taken our departure from the Orkneys 
three years before. I wrote to the Secretary of the Admi- 
ralty, informing him of the progress of the expedition thus 
far, and having committed our letters to the charge of the 
pilot, to be landed at Thurso, bore up to the westward with a 
favourable breeze. The variation of the magnetic needle, 
observed with Mr. Barlow's plate, was 28° 12' W., corres- 
ponding, within a few minutes, with that observed at Long- 
Hope in 1819. In passing Bara and Rona on the morning of 
the 31st, our observations placed the west end of the former 
island in latitude 59° 06' 45", longitude by chronometers 6°H\ 
During our passage across the Atlantic, and afterwards on 
our way up Davis's Strait, we threw overboard daily a strong 
copper cylinder, containing the usual papers, giving an account 
of our situation. We also took every opportunity afforded 



OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 29 

by light winds, to try the temperature of the sea at different 
depths, as compared with that at the surface, of which an ac- 
count will be given in another place. 

On the 12th, as we began to approach the meridian of Cape 
Farewell, we met, as usual, with flocks of sheerwaters, (pro- 
cellaria puffinus,) which have received their popular name 
from the uniformity with which they are here seen. From 
the 12th to the 16th, being between the parallels of 58° and 
61$°, and the meridians of 37° and 56°, we passed seven pieces 
of drift-wood, from four to sixteen feet in length, all appear- 
ing like the root-end of the trunks of small trees that had 
been a good while in the water. On the 16th we saw the 
first iceberg, being in latitude 60§°, longitude 55°; and after 
that time we fell in with those bodies of ice almost daily. 
The temperature of the sea, which was 50° soon after our 
leaving Orkney, experienced little alteration in our passage 
across the Atlantic, till we had reached the longitude of 33°; 
it then pretty gradually decreased to 32°, about the meridian 
of 56°, in latitude 63i°. Its temperature from this time, as 
usual in the Polar Seas during the summer, varied from 28° 
to 36°, according to our proximity to ice, or the contrary. 
On entering Davis's Strait, we had a long succession of thick 
weather, which prevented our obtaining an observation for the 
latitude during a whole week; but as this was accompanied 
by south-easterly winds, our progress was a rapid one. On 
the 21st, at noon, we observed three miles to the southward of 
the Arctic Circle, being in the longitude of 57° 06' 31"; and 
after running thirty miles in a N.$W. course, we made the 
packed ice, which had, for several hours before, been distinctly 
indicated by a clear bright "blink," assuming the form of a 
low well-defined arch, extending over the whole western ho- 
rizon. On hauling up a few points to the eastward, we soon 
lost sight of it, and early on the following morning passed 
Reef-koll, in twenty-five fathoms' water, at the distance of 
ten or twelve miles, sailing among a number of grounded ice- 
bergs, which usually announce a ship's approach to this head- 



30 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 

land. There is said to be a dry shoal off Reef-koll (or Ris- 
kol, as it is called in some charts), at the distance of ten miles: 
but I have never met with it, and can obtain no good informa- 
tion respecting it. 

I now determined, as the quickest and most secure mode of 
clearing the transport, to anchor at Whale-fish Islands, rather 
than incur the risk of hampering and damaging her among 
the ice. Fresh gales and thick weather, however, prevented 
our doing so till the 26th, when we anchored at eight a.m., 
in seventeen fathoms, mooring the ships by hawsers to the 
rocks, and then immediately commenced our work. In the 
mean time, the observatory and instruments, were landed on 
a small island, called, by the Danes, Boat Island, where Lieu- 
tenant Foster and myself carried on the magnetic and other 
observations, during the stay of the Expedition at this anchor- 
age, of which a survey was also made. 

We received great attention and civility from the Danish autho- 
rities at this place, as wellasatLievely.inthe Island of Disko, to 
which settlement Captain Hoppner and myself went in a boat 
on the 30th. We found there, besides the inspector, Mr. 
West, and the other officers resident in the colony, First Lieu- 
tenant Graah, of the Danish navy, who had for some time 
*ast been employed in surveying the coast of Greenland, in 
^j|he neighbourhood of the settlements, and who kindly shewed 
us the charts he was engaged in constructing. Among other 
information, he communicated to us the situation of a danger- 
ous newly-discovered rock, dry at low water, and bearing 
from the flag-staff on Lievely point S. 43° W., distant 7i 
miles. * After dining with the inspector, we returned to the 
ships in the afternoon accompanied by that gentleman and Lieu- 
tenant Graah, receiving, as we left the harbour, a salute of 
twelve guns. The latitude of Lievely, by Lieut. Graah's ob- 
servations, the result of which he unreservedly communicated, 

* I find, since my return to England, that Lieutenant Graah has done me 
the kindness to distinguish this rock by my name, on his chart. 



OP A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 31 

is 69° 14' 32", the longitude 53° 42' west of Greenwich, and 
the variation of the magnetic needle 72° westerly. 

The harbour of Lievely is excellent for small vessels, 
having a good depth of water, and being quite land-locked; 
but it appears rather narrow for ships of three or four hun- 
dred tons. The settlement is principally situated on the 
south shore of the harbour, where there are several tolerably- 
built wooden houses, among which that of the inspector is a 
good-looking and convenient one. There are but six or seven 
Danes, besides the officers, belonging to the establishment; 
and most of the Esquimaux were, at this season, absent in the 
interior, for the purpose of killing rein-deer, from which occu- 
pation they do not usually return till September or October, 
when their services begin to be required for the whale-fishery, the 
latter being carried on here only during the winter months. 
A small schooner lying in the harbour, is sent every summer 
to bring the oil from the northern settlements, in readiness for 
the arrival of the vessels which come annually for the purpose of 
taking that article to Copenhagen, and at the same time bringing 
out supplies of provisions and other stores. On our return to the 
ships we found arrived there Lieutenant Holboll, of the Danish 
navy, a gentleman much attached to the pursuits of natural 
•history, who was engaged in making a collection of speci- 
mens of the animal kingdom, principally birds, with which 
he was shortly about to return to Copenhagen. JjLe was ac- 
companied by a clergyman and another gentleman belonging 
to one of the southern establishments, who came on board our 
ships to pay us a visit. We did not fail to shew them every 
attention in return for their civilities, and they returned on 
shore much pleased with their reception. On the following 
day, when the gentlemen left us for Lievely, we returned 
their salute with an equal number of guns; and I gladly take 
this opportunity of remarking how much we were gratified 
by our intercourse with them. To Mr. Plum, the principal 
officer at the Whale-fish Islands, I also feel particularly obliged 
for his attentions, and for the offer of every assistance in his 
power. 

% 



32 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 

Early on the morning of the 3rd of July, the whole of our 
stores being removed, and Lieutenant Pritchard having re- 
ceived his orders, together with our depatches and letters for 
England, the William Harris weighed with a light wind from 
the northward, and was towed out to sea by our boats. The 
day proving calm, we employed it in swinging the Hecla, in 
order to obtain the amount of the deviation of the magnetic 
needle, and to fix afresh the iron-plate for correcting it. On 
the following morning, the wind being southerly, the pilots 
came on board, and the Hecla weighed to run through the 
north passage; in doing which, she grounded on a rock lying 
directly in the channel, and having only thirteen feet upon it 
at low water, which our sounding boats had missed, and of 
which the pilot was ignorant. The tide being that of ebb, we 
were unable to heave the ship off immediately, and at low 
water she had sewed three feet forward. It was not till half- 
past one, p. m. , that she floated, when it became necessary to 
drop her down between the rock and the shore with hawsers; 
after which we made sail, and, being soon after joined by the 
Fury, which came out bythe other channel, we stood round 
the islands to the northwards. This rock was not the only 
one found by our boats which may prove dangerous to ships 
going in and out of this harbour, and with which our pilots 
were unacquainted. Another was discovered by Mr. Head, 
about one-third of the distance across from Kron Prins Island 
to the opposite shore of the S. E. entrance, and has not more 
than eighteen feet water on it at low tide; it lies very much in 
the way of ships coming in at that channel, which is the most 
commonly used. The latitude of the island on which the 
observations were made, called by the Danes Boat Island, is 
74° 28' 15"; its longitude, by our chronometers, 53° 12' 56"; 
the dip of the magnetic needle, 82° 53', 66; and the variation, 
70° 23' 57" westerly. The time of high water, at new moon, 
on the 26th of June, was a quarter past eight, the highest tides 
being the third and fourth after the conjunction, and the per- 
pendicular rise seven feet and a half. 



OP A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 33 

For the following remarks on the geological character of 
these islands I am indebted to Dr. Neill. " Four of the 
islands belonging to this groupe, which we examined during 
our stay, are composed of well-defined gneiss, intersected by 
veins of red feldspar, and beautiful quartz, nearly approaching 
to rose-quartz, the strata dipping towards the N. N. E., at 
an angle of 23°. In the composition of the rock, the quartz 
predominates; the mica, which is nearly black, is next abun- 
dant, and the feldspar most sparing. On examining a recent 
fracture, the feldspar is scarcely perceptible; it is only on sur- 
faces that have been long exposed to the influence of the 
weather that it seems evidently to compose part of this rock. 
In one place we noticed a detached mass of greenstone, con- 
taining a number of crystals of glassy actynolite, but, unfor- 
tunately, the mass was so tough that it could not be broken 
without destroying the crystals. " 

The ships standing in towards Lievely on the afternoon of 
the 5th, Lieutenant Graah very kindly came off to the Fury, 
which happened to be the nearest in-shore, for the purpose of 
taking leave of us. On his quitting the ship, a salute of ten 
•guns was fired at Lievely, which we returned with an equal 
number; and I sent to Lieut. Graah, by a canoe that came on 
board the Hecla, an account of the situation of the rocks we 
had discovered. Light northerly winds, together with the 
dull sailing of our now deeply laden ships, prevented our 
making much progress for several days, and kept us in the 
neighbourhood of numerous ice-bergs, which it is dangerous 
to approach when tnere is any swell. We counted from the 
deck, at one time, no less than one hundred and three of these 
immense bodies, some of them from one to two hundred feet 
in height* above the, sea; and it was necessary, in one or two 
instances, to tow the ships clear of them with the boats. We 
had occasion, about this time, to remark the more than usual 

* We had occasionally the means of guessing, with tolerable precision, 
the height of the ice-bergs, by the Fury passing close to them. ^ 

5 



34 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 

frequency of fogs with a northerly *wind, a circumstance 
from which the whalers are accustomed to augur a considera- 
ble extent of open water in that direction. 

In standing off to the westward, we made the main ice in 
the longitude of 581°, scarcely differing five miles from its 
position in 1819 in the same latitude, and about the same 
season. The land of Disco was high above the horizon, and 
quite distinct at the distance of three-and-twenty leagues. 
On the evening of the 13th, being in latitude 71° 02', and 
longitude 58° 36', the ice was observed, on the clearing up of 
a fog, to be slack for a considerable distance within the mar- 
gin of the "pack." Though it was my intention to have 
attempted the passage across it to the westward, in a latitude 
one or two degrees higher, the favourable appearance it now 
assumed, combined with a fair wind and its usual accom- 
paniment, clear weather, induced me at once to enter it, 
which was accordingly done, and the ships pushed several 
leagues within the margin. 

The ice soon beginning to close around us, our progress 
became so slow, that, on the 17th, we saw a ship at the mar- 
gin of the " pack," and two more on the following day. We ■ 
supposed these to be whalers, which, after trying to cross the 
ice to the northward, had returned to make the attempt in the 
present latitude; a supposition which our subsequent difficul- 
ties served to strengthen. From this time, indeed, the ob- 
structions from the quantity, magnitude, and closeness of the 
ice, were such as to keep our people almost constantly em- 
ployed in heaving, warping, or sawing through it; and yet 
with so little success, that, at the close of the month of July, 
we had only penetrated seventy miles to the westward, or to 
the longitude of about 62° 10'. Here, while closely beset, 
on the 1st of August, we encountered a hard gale from the 
south-east, which pressing the ice together in every direction, 
by mass overlaying mass for hours together, the Hecla receiv- 
ed several very awkward " nips," and was once fairly laid 
Qpn her broadside by a strain which must inevitably have crush- 



OP A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 35 

ed a vessel of ordinary strength. In such cases, the ice is 
forced under a ship's bottom, on one side, and on the other up 
her side, both powers thus acting in such a manner as to bring 
her on her " beam-ends." This is, in fact, the most favoura- 
ble manner in which a ship can receive the pressure, and 
would perhaps only occur with ice comparatively not very 
heavy, though sufficiently so, it is said, to have run complete- 
ly over a ship in some extreme and fatal cases. With ice of 
still more formidable dinfcnsions, a vessel would, probably, by 
an equal degree of pressure, be absolutely crushed, in conse- 
quence of the increased difficulty of sinking it on one side, 
and causing it to rise on the other.* 

This gale, which commenced on the 3 1st of July, was the 
only strong or even fresh breeze we experienced in the course 
of that month; and the indications of the barometer, during 
its continuance, deserve to be noticed. On the morning of 
the 31st, about the time the breeze commenced, the mercury 
began to rise from 29,255, and reached 30,271 on the evening 
of the 1st of August, when the breeze moderated, the weather 
cleared up, and the barometer again began to fall. Neither 
in the strength nor the direction of the wind, nor in the state 
of the atmosphere, did the mercury indicate the weather we 
should have anticipated from it; for the breeze, soon after the 
fall of the barometer, shifted to the northward, with a clear, 
dry atmosphere, whereas the column had continued to rise 
steadily during thirty hours of strong southerly wind, accom- 
panied by thick and wet weather. 

While thus detained, there was not the smallest appearance 
of any clear water to the westward, and I remarked, more- 
over, that contrary to what had hitherto been the case, we had 

* It has more than once occurred to me, under such stress of materials 
as this, that, independently of the absolute strength of our ships, the cir- 
cumstance of their being quite full, and stowed with minute attention to 
closeness in every part of their holds, might have contributed something 
towards their withstanding such enormous pressure. 



36 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 

* 

not drifted in that direction, notwithstanding the strength and 
duration of the gale. I determined, on this account, to direct 
our endeavours more to the northward, in hopes of there find- 
ing the ice less compact. By dint of constant and extreme 
labour, and at the expense of some of our westing, we gained 
the latitude of 72° 34' on the 19th of August, where the ice 
still presented as impenetrable a barrier as before. Continuing 
our efforts to push to the northward, we had, on the 29th of 
August, arrived in latitude 73° 1$', on the me'ridan of 63° 
40', in which situation, from our experience in 1819, we had 
reason to expect there would scarcely have been any ice at 
this season. The obstructions, however, continued nearly 
the same, notwithstanding our being much favoured by south- 
easterly winds, till the 8th of September, in latitude 74° 07', 
and longitude 69° 54', or about one hundred and ten miles to 
the W. N. W. of the situation in which we cleared the " pack" 
in the year 1819. Here the ice became more slack, but it 
was not till the following day that, having forced our way 
about forty miles farther, or to the latitude of 74° 14', and 
longitude 72° 25', we at length succeeded in releasing our- 
selves from the more than ordinary barrier of ice in the middle 
of Baffin's Bay. 

I shall, doubtless, be readily excused for not having entered 
in this journal, a detailed narrative of the obstacles we met 
with, and of the unwearied exertions of the officers and men 
to overcome them, during the tedious eight weeks employed 
in crossing this barrier. I have avoided this detail, because, 
while it might appear an endeavour to magnify ordinary diffi- 
culties, which it is our business to overcome rather than to 
discuss, I am convinced that no description of mine, nor even 
the minute formality of the log-book, could convey an ade- 
quate idea of the truth. The strain we constantly had oc- 
casion to heave on the hawsers, as springs to force the 
ships through the ice, was such as perhaps no ships ever 
before attempted; and by means of Phillips's invaluable cap- 






OP A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 37 

stan,* we often separated floes of such magnitude as must 
otherwise have baffled every effort. In doing this, it was 
next to impossible to avoid exposing the men to very great 
risk, from the frequent breaking of the hawsers. On one oc- 
casion three of the Hecla's seamen were knocked down as in- 
stantaneously as by a gun-shot, by the sudden flying out of an 
anchor, and a marine of the Fury suffered in a similar manner 
when working at the capstan; but providentially they all es- 
caped with severe contusions. A more serious accident occur- 
red in the breaking of the spindle of the Fury's windlass, 
depriving her of the use of the windlass-end during the rest of 
the season. 

In considering the causes of this our bad success, it will not 
be difficult to shew, by comparison with what we experienced 
on former occasions, that it was to be attributed to an extreme- 
ly unfavourable season, both as regarded the quantity and 
closeness of the ice, as well as the actual temperature, and the 
general state of the weather during the month of August, the 
very best of the year for navigation in these seas. It has al- 
ready been seen that the main body of ice reached one hun- 
dred and fifty miles farther to the W. N. W. in the parallel 
of about 74°, than it did in 1819, while the eastern margin, 
where we entered it, was found precisely in the same meridian 
as usual at that season; so that the actual breadth of the barrier 
appears to have been fifty leagues greater than before. In 
the absence of actual observations during the preceding win- 
ter, it is not easy to conjecture whether this circumstance 
arose from the unusual severity of that dreary season in 1823 
and 1824, or from the tardiness of the returning summer's 

* I cannot omit this opportunity of expressing my admiration of this in- 
genious contrivance in every trial to which we put it in the course of this 
voyage. By the perfect facility with which the machinery is made to act, 
or the contrary, it is easily altered and applied to any purpose, in ten or 
fifteen seconds ; and the slowness and consequent steadiness of the power, 
render it infinitely less trying to the hawsers than any purchase we were 
before enabled to adopt on board a ship. 



38 



THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 



warmth in dissolving the ice produced during the winter; 
either of which causes, but more particularly both combined, 
would sufficiently account for it. That the summer was a 
wretched one we had too much reason to know; and the fol- 
lowing comparative view of the temperature of August, 1824, 
with that of the five preceding and one following year, will 
afford very striking evidence of the fact: — 





Latitude. 


TEMPEIlATtrRE. 


Year. 


Max. 


Min. 


Mean. 


1819 


. 74 to 75 . 


. + 42 


+ 28 


+ 3*3.7 


1820 


. 74 to 75 . 


45 


22 


32.6 


1821 


. 65 to 66^ . 


48 


23 


36.6 


1822 


. About 69^ . 


50 


27 


33.7 


1823 


. 69£ to 66£ . 


55 


24 


37.8 


1824 


. 71 to 73| . . 


36.5 


16 


29.7 


1825 


. 72i to 73-i . . 


51 


25 


35.8 



Not less remarkable than the temperature of August was 
the extraordinary weather which accompanied it, and which, 
indeed, may perhaps be considered as its cause; for of the 
thirty-one days in that month, there was actually but one in 
which we had not a deposite of snow, sleet, rain, or fog, du- 
ring some part of the twenty-four consecutive hours; and a 
northerly wind, which is the usual harbinger of a clear, dry, 
wholesome atmosphere, was just as thick as any other. 
For ten weeks in July, August, and September, though we 
were constantly watching for an opportunity of airing the 
ships' companies' bedding on deck, we could only venture to 
do so once. 

When a considerable fall of snow in light flakes takes place 
at a low summer temperature, the formation of young ice is, 
of course, very greatly accelerated, and this was so much the 
case in the present instance, that on several days, even in the 
middle of August, the ships could scarcely be dragged through 
it; whereas that obstruction, the most tedious and vexatious 



OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 39 

we have to contend with, never occurred to us before, till 
full a month later than this. The appearance around us, un- 
der these circumstances, was sometimes a curious, and, to our 
prospects of advancement, rather an alarming one; for the 
water and the air being both too cold to dissolve the snow, it 
remained floating upon the surface till every pool was entirely 
covered with it, so that the sea, which just before had been 
diversified with alternate light and dark patches, was imme- 
diately converted into one uniform surface of white. This 
phenomenon, to the extent in which it now occurred, was to 
me a new one; and there can be no doubt that, had the tem- 
perature continued low for two or three days together, while 
the sea was thus covered, a sheet of ice would have been 
formed, too solid to have been again dissolved during the same 
season. It was impossible, therefore, not to apprehend at 
times, that a continuance of weather so unseasonable might 
expose us to the unpleasant dilemma of being frozen up 
during a winter in the middle of Baffin's Bay. 

During our passage across the ice, the temperature of the 
sea-water at the surface differed at times from 28° to 32°, this 
change evidently depending on the quantity of ice which was 
dissolving and covering the surface at the time; but during 
colder weather, when little or no dissolution was going on, 
the temperature of 28° almost invariably prevailed. On our 
leaving the western margin of the ice, it rose at eight leagues' 
distance, to 32°, then fell immediately to 31° and 30°, which 
continued for sixty miles on a westerly course, and then gra- 
dually decreased to 28°, on approaching Sir James Lancaster's 
Sound. In the year 1819 its temperature remained at 37°, 
for a run of sixty-three miles in the same direction. Our 
detention in the ice afforded occasional opportunities of trying 
the temperature and specific gravity of the sea-water at differ- 
ent depths; an account of these experiments, together with a 
few others subsequently obtained, will be given in one con- 
cise view, at the close of this season's narrative. 



40 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 

• 

Our soundings, in crossing Baffin's Bay, increased with 
tolerable regularity as we advanced to the westward. When 
only a few miles within the eastern margin of the ice, on the 
15th and 16th of July, we had from two hundred and thirty- 
five to two hundred and eighty fathoms, muddy bottom. On 
the 18th, the depth had increased to three hundred and fifty- 
five fathoms, and on the 21st no soundings could be gained 
with four hundred and seventy. Advancing still farther to 
the northward and westward, a line of seven hundred to se- 
ven hundred and fifty fathoms did not reach the ground. 

The constant besetment of the ships, and our daily obser- 
vations for latitude and longitude, afforded a favourable op- 
portunity for ascertaining precisely the set of any currents by 
which the whole body of ice might be actuated. By attend- 
ing very carefully to all the circumstances, it was evident that 
a daily set to the southward obtained, when the wind was 
northerly, differing in amount from two or three, to eight or 
ten miles per day, according to the strength of the breeze, 
but a northerly current was equally apparent, and fully to 
the same amount, whenever the wind blew from the south- 
ward. A circumstance more remarkable that these, however, 
forced itself strongly upon my notice at this time, which was, 
that a westerly set was very frequently apparent, even against 
a fresh breeze blowing from that quarter. I mention the 
circumstance in this place, because I may hereafter have to 
offer a remark or two on this fact, in connexion with some 
others of a similar nature noticed elsewhere. 

With 8 respect to the dimensions of the ice through which 
we had now scrambled our way, principally by warping and 
towing, a distance of between three and four hundred miles, 
I remarked that it for the most part increased, as well in the 
thickness as the extent of the floes, as we advanced westward 
about the parallel of 71°. During our subsequent progress to 
the north, we also met with some of enormous dimensions, 
several of the floes, to which we applied our hawsers and the 



OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 41 

power of the improved capstan, being at their margin more 
than twenty feet above the level of the sea; and over some of 
these we could not see from the mast-head. Upon the whole, 
however, the magnitude of the ice became somewhat less to- 
wards the north-west, and within thirty miles of that margin 
the masses were comparatively small, and their thickness 
much diminished. Bergs were in sight during the whole 
passage, but they were more numerous towards the middle of 
the "pack," and rather'the most so to the southward. 

The birds we saw were rotges (Mca Alle), looms (XJria 
Brunnichii), dovekies ( Colymbus Grylle), and ivoryljBlls 
( Larus Eburneus) ; but the rotges were by far the mOsniu- 
merous, occurring, at times, in considerable flocks, and occu- 
pying the small pools of open water between the floes, espe- 
cially to the westward. A flock of ducks, appearing generally 
of the eider species, was also now and then observed, and 
even as early as the middle of August these were always fly- 
ing to the south-eastward. A few solitary seals, and two or 
three bears, were all that we saw besides, only one or two 
whales occurring till after we had entered Sir James Lancas- 
ter's Sound. 



m 



42 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 



CHAPTER II. 

ENTER SIR JAMES LANCASTER'S SOUND — LAND AT CAPE 

WARRENDER MEET WITH YOUNG ICE SHIPS BESET AND 

CARRIED NEAR THE SHORE DRIVEN BACK TO NAVY-BOARD 

INLET RUN TO THE WESTWARD, AND ENTER PRINCE 

REGENT'S INLET ARRIVAL AT PORT BOWEN. 



^Cll our past obstacles were in a moment forgotten, when 
we once more saw an open sea before us; but it must be con- 
fessed that it was not so easy to forget that the middle of 
September was already near at hand, without having brought 
us even to the entrance of Sir James Lancaster's Sound. 
That not a moment might be lost, however, in pushing to the 
westward, a press of canvass was crowded, and being happily 
favoured with an easterly breeze, on the morning of the 10th, 
we caught a glimpse of the high bold land on the north side 
of the magnificent inlet up which our course was Once more to 
be directed. From the time of our leaving the main body of 
ice, we met with none of any kind, and the entrance of the 
Sound was, as usual, entirely free from it, except here and 
there a berg, floating about in that solitary grandeur, of 
which these enormous masses, when occurring in the midst 
of an extensive sea, are calculated to convey so sublime an 
idea. 

On the morning of the 11th, the ships being taken a-back 
with a fresh westerly breeze, when near Cape Warrender, I 
landed in a small bay close to the westward of it, accompa- 
nied by several of the officers, in order to examine the coun- 
try, and to make the necessary observations. Dr. Neill ob- 
served, on landing, that " the beach was covered with fragments 
of flesh-coloured feldspar, closely studded with red garnets, va- 
rying in size from that of a garden pea to that of a walnut 
We could with difficulty determine the nature of the forma- 



OP A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 43 

lion of the coast, the surface of the ground being almost en- 
tirely covered, either with snow, luxuriant rein-deer moss, or 
debris from the neighbouring hills. In one pUace, however, 
we observed a small part of the rock in situ, and could with 
certainty determine it to be of gneiss formation. Feldspar, 
in large plates, thickly set with garnets, composed the greater 
par]; of the rock: these plates were separated by thin layers of 
quartz and mica, closely blended together, the strata dipping 
in a northerly direction, at an angle of thirty degrees. We 
found on the beach several nodules of clay-ironstone, but 
could not observe from whence they were detached." 

The vegetation was scanty, but a few plants were added 
to our collection by the gentlemen who accompanied me. 
Our party was successful in killing three rein-deer out of a 
small herd, the only one seen; these gave us one hundred and 
ninety-two pounds of venison, exclusive of the heads, hearts, 
&c, which, as usual, became the perquisites of the successful 
sportsmen. The latitude observed at our landing-place, which 
was on the eastern side of a bay, three-quarters of a mile wide, 
and close to Cape Warrender, was 74° 28' 16", the longitude 
by chronometers, 81° 51' 12" 9,* and the variation of the 
magnetic needle, 104° 48' 30" westerly. 

A narrow stream of water ran down the centre of the bay, 
communicating with a small lagoon, just within the beach; and 
on the steep side of a hill at the back of a considerable space 
of level ground, fronting the bay, was an immense mass of 
snow and ice, containing strata of muddy-looking soil, the ru- 
diments, perhaps, of some huge iceberg, which, ages hence, 
may here be tumbling into the ocean. 

On the morning of the 12th we were once more favoured 
with a breeze from the eastward, but so light and unsteady, 
that our progress was vexatiously slow; and on the 13th, when 

. * This latitude will be found to agree exactly, and the longitude within, 
one mile of the position assigned to Cape Warrender in our chart of 1819, 
and ob'tained by the intersection of astronomical bearings taken at a consi- 
derable distance from the coast. 



44 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 

within seven leagues of Cape York, we had the mortification 
to perceive the sea a-head of us covered with young ice, the 
thermometer having, for two days past, ranged only from 
18° to 20°. On reaching it we had, as usual, recourse to 
" sallying," breaking it with boats a-head, and various other 
expedients, all alike ineffectual without a fresh and free 
breeze furnishing a constant impetus; so that after seven or 
eight hours of unsuccessful labour in this way, we were 
obliged to remain as we were, fairly and immoveably beset. 

It now appeared high time to determine as to the propriety 
of still continuing our efforts to push to the westward, or of 
returning to England, according to my instructions on that 
head, under particular circumstances. As the crossing of 
the ice in Baffin's Bay had of itself unexpectedly occupied 
nearly the whole of one season, it could not, of course, be 
considered that the attempt to penetrate to the westward, in 
the manner directed by their Lordships, had as yet been 
made, nor could it, indeed, be made during the present year. 
I could not, therefore, have a moment's hesitation as to the 
propriety of pushing on as far as the present season would 
permit, and then giving a fair trial, during the whole of the 
next summer, to the route I was directed by my instructions 
to pursue. In order, however, to confirm my own opinion 
on this subject, I requested to be furnished with that of Captain 
Hoppner; and finding that his views entirely agreed with my 
own, I resolved still to pursue our object by all the means in 
our power. 

The next breeze sprung up from the westward, drawing 
also from the southward, at times, out of Prince Regent's In- 
let, and for three days we were struggling with the young 
ice to little or no purpose, now and then gaining half a mile 
of ground to windward in a little " hole" of open water, then 
losing as much by the necessity of bearing up, or wearing, 
(for the ice was too strong to allow us to tack) sallying from 
morning to night with all hands, and with the watch at night, 
two boats constantly under the bows; and after all, rather 



OP A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 45 

losing ground than otherwise, while the young ice was every 
hour increasing in thickness. 

On the 17th, when we had driven back rather to the east- 
ward of Admiralty Inlet, an easterly breeze again enabled us 
to make some progress. The sea was now, for the most part, 
covered with young ice, which had become so thick as to look 
white throughout its whole extent. The holes of water could 
now, therefore, be "more distinctly seen, and by taking ad- 
vantage of these, we succeeded in making a few miles of 
westing, the " leads" taking us more in-shore, towards Ad- 
miralty Inlet, than before. Towards sun-set we became more 
and more hampered, and were eventually beset during the 
night. A breeze sprung up from the westward, which in- 
creasing to a fresh gale, we found ourselves at daylight, far to 
the eastward, and also within two miles of the land, near a 
long low point, which, on the former voyages, had not been 
seen. The sea was covered with ice between us and the shore, 
all of this year's formation, but now of considerable thickness 
and formidable appearance. The wind continuing strong, the 
whole body was constantly pressed in upon the land, bearing 
the ships along with it, and doubling one sheet over another, 
sometimes to a hundred thicknesses. We quickly shoaled the 
water from seventy to forty fathoms, the latter depth occur- 
ring about a mile from the beach; and after this we drifted 
but little, the ice being blocked up between the point and a. 
high perpendicular berg lying a-ground off it. 

The sails being furled, and the top-gallant yards got down, 
we now considered ourselves fortunate in our situation; for 
had we been only a quarter of a mile further out, we should 
have been within the influence of a current that was there 
sweeping the whole body of ice to the eastward, at the rate 
of a mile and a half an hour. Indeed, at times, this current 
was disposed to approach us still nearer, carrying away pieces 
of ice close to our quarter; but by means of long hawsers, 
secured to the heaviest and most compact of the small floes 
in-shore of us, we contrived to hold on. Under such circum- 



46 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 

stances, it evidently became expedient to endeavour, by saw- 
ing, to get the ships as close in-shore as possible, so as to 
secure them either to grounded ice, or by anchoring within 
the shelter of a bay at no great distance inside of us; for it 
now seemed not unlikely that winter was about to put a pre- 
mature stop to all further operations at sea for this season. 
At all events it was necessary to consult the immediate safety 
of the ships, and to keep them from being drifted back to the 
eastward. I, therefore, gave orders for endeavouring to get 
the ships in towards the bay, by cutting through what level 
floes still remained At the same time an officer was de- 
spatched to examine the shore, which was found safe, with 
regular soundings in every part. So strong had been the 
pressure while the ice was forcing in upon us, that after libe- 
rating the Hecla on one side, she was as firmly cemented to it 
on the other, as after a winter's formation, and we could only 
clear her by heavy and repeated "sallying." After cutting 
in two or three hundred yards, while the people were at din- 
ner on the 21st, our canal closed, by the external pressure 
coming upon the parts which we had weakened, and in a 
few minutes the whole was once more in motion, or, as the 
seamen not inaptly expressed it, "alive," mass doubling un- 
der mass, and raising those which were uppermost to a consi- 
derable height. The ice thus pressed together was now about 
ten feet in thickness in some places, and, on an average, not 
less than four or five, so that while thus forced in upon a ship, 
although soft in itself, it caused her to tremble exceedingly; a 
sensation, indeed, commonly experienced in forcing through 
young ice of considerable thickness. We were now once more 
obliged to be quiet spectators of what was going on around us, 
having, with extreme difficulty, succeeded in saving most of 
our tools that were lying on the ice when the squeezing sud- 
denly began. Towards evening we made fast to a stationary 
floe, at the distance of one mile from the beach, in eighteen 
fathoms, where we remained tolerably quiet for the night, the 
ice outside of us, and as far as we could see, setting constantly, 



OP A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 47 

at a great rate, to the eastward. Some of our gentlemen, who 
had landed in the course i f the day, and who had to scramble 
their way on board over the ice in motion, described the bay 
as deeper than it appeared from the offing. Dr. Neill " found, 
on such parts of the beach as were not covered with ice or 
snow, fragments of bituminous shale, flinty slate, and iron- 
stone, interspersed amongst a blue-coloured limestone gravel. 
As far as he was able to travel inland, the surface was com- 
posed of secondary limestone, partially covered with a thin 
layer of calc-sinter. From the scantiness of the vegetation 
here, the limestone seemed likely to contain a large propor- 
tion of magnesia. Dr. Neill was about to examine for coal, 
which the formation led him to expect, when the ice was ob- 
served to be in motion, obliging him hastily to return on 
board." Lieutenant Ross " found, about two-thirds up a small 
peaked insulated hill of limestone, between three and four 
hundred feet above the level of the sea, several pieces of coal, 
which he found to burn with a clear bright flame, crackling 
much, and throwing off slaty splinters." 

Hares' burrows were numerous on this hill; Lieutenant Ross 
saw two of these animals, one of which he killed. A fox was 
also observed, in its summer dress; and these, with a pair of 
ravens, some wingless ducks, and several snow-buntings, were 
all the animals noticed at this place. 

A sudden motion of the ice, on the morning of the 22nd, 
occasioned by a change of wind to the S.E., threatened to 
carry us directly off the land. It was now, more than ever, 
desirable to hold on, as this breeze was likely to clear the shore, 
and, at the same time, to give us a run to the westward. Haw- 
sers, were, therefore, run out to the land-ice, composed of 
some heavy masses, almost on the beach. With the Hecla 
this succeeded, but the Fury being much further from the 
shore, soon began to move out with the whole body of ice, 
which, carrying her close to the large berg off the point, 
swept her round the latter, where, after great exertion, Cap- 
tain Hoppner succeeded in getting clear, and then made sail to 



48 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERT 

beat back to us. In the mean time the strain put upon the 
Hecla's hawsers being too great for them, they snapped, one 
after another, and a bower-anchor was let go, as a last resource. 
It was one of Hawkins's, with the double fluke, and imme- 
diately brought up, not merely the ship, but a large floe of 
young ice, which had just broken our stream-cable. All hands 
were sent upon the floe to cut it up a-head, and the whole ope- 
ration was a novel, and at times a fearful one; for the ice, be- 
ing weakened by the cutting, would suddenly gather fresh-way 
a-stern, carrying men and tools with it, while the chain-cable 
continued to plough through it in a manner which gave one 
the idea of something alive, and continually renewing its at- 
tacks. The anchor held surprisingly, and after this tremen- 
dous strain had been put upon it for above an hour, we had 
fairly cut the floe in two, and the ship was riding in clear wa- 
ter about half a mile from the shore. 

I was now in hopes we should have made some progress, for 
a large channel of clear water was left open in-shore; a breeze 
blew off the land, and the temperature of the atmosphere had 
again risen considerably. We had not sailed five miles, how- 
ever, when a westerly wind took us a-back, and a most dan- 
gerous swell set directly upon the shore, obliging me imme- 
diately to stand off the land ; and the Fury being still to the 
eastward of the point, I ran round it, in order to rejoin her be- 
fore sunset. The current was here setting very fast to the 
eastward, not less, I think, in some places, than two miles an 
hour, so that, even in a clear sea, we had little chance of stem- 
ming it, much less beset as we were in young ice during an 
unusually dark night of nine or ten hours' duration, w'th a 
heavy fall of snow. The consequence was, that when we 
made the land on the morning of the 23rd, we had been 
drifted the incredible distance of eight or nine leagues during 
the night; finding ourselves off the Wollaston Islands, at the 
entrance of Navy Board Inlet. We stood in under the islands 
to look for anchorage during the night, but the water being 
everywhere too deep close to the shore, we made fast at. 



OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 49 

sunset to some very heavy ice upon a point, which we took 
to be the main-land, but which Captain Hoppner afterwards 
found to be upon one of the islands, which are at least four in 
number. 

Here we found the current still setting to the eastward, and 
at one time during the night it was so strong against a fresh 
easterly wind, that we were obliged to set our top-sails a-back, 
to keep the ships clear of the ice. At length, on the morn- 
ing of the 24th, before daylight, one of the anchors slipped 
out by the sheering of the ship, and the other hawser imme- 
diately breaking, we made sail off the land. At daylight, the 
easterly wind having freshened to a gale, and dispersed almost 
the whole of the young ice, I made the Fury's signal to join 
us as soon as she had saved our hawsers, and we then bore up 
along the land to the westward. We had a fine run during 
the day, but towards evening met with a great deal of young 
ice packed together by the breeze now blowing. We also met 
here with some " old ice," one floe of which, or rather field, 
was immensely heavy, and too extensive to see over. About 
Cape Craufurd it led us close in with the land, which is all so 
bold in this neighbourhood as to leave nothing to fear in that 
respect, and after running till eleven at night, we hove-to for 
daylight, some ice being seen a-head. The wind died away 
at midnight, and was succeeded soon after by a contrary breeze 
the thermometer gradually falling from 28° in the morning to 
17° at night, so that our enemy, the young ice, once more be- 
gan to exert its influence. Being off Eardley Bay, towards 
sunset, and observing that the current still set to the eastward, 
I went in-shore in a boat, to look for some place of tolerable 
security in which the ships might hold on during the night, 
but without success. We were, therefore, under the necessity 
of taking our chance under-way, if the latter term may be 
applied to ships that, for eight hours, did not move ten times 
their own length through the young ice. I was glad to find in 
the morning, however, that we had lost little or no ground, by 

7 



50 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERT 

which it appeared that the current, which, on the evening be- 
fore, was setting to the eastward in-shore, at the rate of not 
less than a knot and a half, did not extend to the deeper water 
in the offing. On. the 26th we were favoured with an easterly- 
breeze, which, gradually freshening, promised, in earnest, to 
take us into Prince Regent's Inlet. We sailed through many 
miles of tough young ice, with a heavy press of canvass, keep- 
ing two boats a-head, by ropes attached to the bowsprit, till 
it was dangerous to do so any longer, and in a few hours found 
ourselves within the inlet, and in perfectly clear water in-shore, 
the breeze having driven all the young ice off the land, as 
well as a body of old floes, which just left us room to sail 
within it. The wind came in extremely hard gusts, out of 
every ravine and valley, with which this coast abounds, oblig- 
ing us to lower our small sails frequently; and soon after dark 
a gale came on so suddenly as scarcely to give us time for 
taking in our canvass. Having reduced to the maintop-sail 
and stornr-sails, and the sea not being heavy, inconsequence 
of the wind being well off the land, we passed the night with- 
out ^pcident, though in constant anxiety, from the expectation 
of meeting with the main body of ice under our lee. The 
weather was, in truth, most inclement, being extremely dark, 
and small snow being drifted off the hills in such continued 
clouds as to make it impossible to look to windward, and 
rendering both the atmosphere and the sea extremely thick. 
After midnight the wind began to moderate, and by de- 
grees also drew more to the southward than before. At day- 
light, therefore, we found ourselves seven or eight miles from 
the land; but no ice was in sight, except the "sludge," of 
honey-like consistence, with which almost the whole sea was 
covered. A strong blink, extending along the eastern horizon, 
pointed out the position of the main body of ice, which was 
farther distant from the eastern shore of the inlet than I ever 
saw it. Being assisted by a fine working breeze, which, at 
the same time, prevented the formation of any more ice to 



T 

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 51 

obstruct us, we made considerable progress along the land, and 
at noon were nearly a-breast of Jackson Inlet, vyhich we now 
saw to be considerably larger than our distant view of it on 
the former voyage had led us to suppose. We found also 
that what at a distance appeared an island in the entrance, 
was, in reality, a dark-looking rocky hill, on the south side. 
A few more tacks brought us to the entrance of Port Bowen, 
which, for two or three days past, I had determined to make 
our wintering-place, if, as there was but little reason to ex- 
pect, we should be so fortunate as to push the ships thus far. 
My reasons for coming to this determination, in which Cap- 
tain Hoppner's opinion also served to confirm me, will be 
sufficiently gathered from the operations of the preceding fort- 
night, which convinced me that the precarious chance of 
making a few miles more progress could no longer be suffered 
to weigh against the evident risk now attending further at- 
tempts at navigation: a risk not confined to the mere expo- 
sure of the ships to imminent danger, or the hazard of being 
shut out of a winter-harbour, but to one which, I may be per- 
mitted to say, we all dreaded as much as these, — the t3l ob- 
vious probability of our once more being driven back to the 
eastward, should we again become hampered in the young 
ice. Joining to this the additional consideration that no known 
place of security existed to the southward on this coast, I had 
not the smallest hesitation in availing myself of the present 
opportunity to get the ships into harbour. Beating up, there- 
fore, to Port Bowen, we found it filled with " old" and 
" hummocky" ice, attached to the shores on both sides, as 
low down as about three-quarters of a mile below Stoney 
Island. Here we made fast in sixty-two fathoms' water, run- 
ning our hawsers far in upon the ice, in case of its breaking 
off at the margin. 

On entering Port Bowen, I was forcibly struck with the 
circumstance of the cliffs on the south side of the harbour 
being, in many places, covered with a layer of blue transpa- 



52 THIKD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 

rent-looking ice, occasioned undoubtedly by the snow par- 
tially thawing there, and then being arrested by the frost, and 
presenting a feature very indicative of the late cold summer. 
The same thing was observed on all the land to which we 
made a near approach on the south side of Barrow's Strait this 
season, especially about Cape York and Eardley Bay; but as 
We had never been close to these parts of the shore in 1819, 
it did not occur to me as any thing new, or worthy of notice. 
At Port Bowen, however, which, in that year, was closely 
examined, I am quite certain that no such thing was to be 
seen, even in the month of August, the cliffs being then quite 
clear of snow, except here and there a patch of drift. 

Though it was evident that we could not possibly get the 
ships round Stoney Island, into the proper anchorage (neither 
indeed was it desirable, on account of our prospects of an 
early release in the spring), yet it was expedient to remove 
them immediately from the sea-margin of the ice, by cutting 
a canal into the floe as far as was necessary for their security; 
a work that was accordingly commenced on the following day. 
The fcibour proved extremely heavy for the men, the floe 
being thick and full of large hummocks; but considerable pro- 
gress had been made on the morning of the 29th, when a gale 
came on from the eastward, which for six or seven hours 
blew in gusts, and with a violence I never remember to have 
seen exceeded, occasioned probably by the high lands between 
which we were lying. Masses of ice constantly breaking off 
from the edge of the floe, kept us in continual apprehension 
of our hawsers being snapped by the additional strain thus oc- 
casionly brought upon them, in which case we should have 
been driven to sea, and probably into the old ice, which had 
been in sight all day off the harbour. Happily, however, we 
held on, and were enabled to resume our work the following 
day, the canal already cut being now scarcely perceptible, 
from the washing away of the ice composing its sides. On 
the evening of the 1st of October, we had accomplished 



OP A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 53 

enough for our purpose, and the ships were warped into their 
winter-stations, which we had the satisfaction to think were 
extremely favourable for an early release in the spring. 

We lay here in fifty-three fathoms water, over a bottom of 
very soft mud. The sea, soon after, being covered on the 
outside with a floe of young ice, which was not again removed 
for the winter, we suffered no further disturbance; but the 
easterly winds were occasionally so violent for several days 
after this, that I did not consider the ships sufficiently secure 
for commencing the winter arrangements, until the bower- 
cables were carried out from each, and taken round large 
hummocks of ice, as far up the harbour as possible. After 
these precautions had been taken, we were finally settled 
about the middle of October. 

Late as we had this year been in reaching Sir James Lan- 
caster's Sound, there would still have been time for a ship 
engaged in the whale-fishery to have reaped a tolerable har- 
vest, as we met with a number of whales in every part of it, 
and even as far as the entrance of Port Bowen. The number 
registered altogether in our journals is between twenty and 
thirty, but I have no doubt that many more than these were 
seen, and that a ship expressly on the look-out for them would 
have found full occupation for her boats. Several which 
came near us were of large and "payable" dimensions. I 
confess, however, that had I been within the Sound, in a 
whaler, towards the close of so unfavourable a season as this, 
with the young ice forming so rapidly on the whole extent of 
the sea, I should not have been disposed to persevere in the 
fishery under circumstances so precarious, and to a ship un- 
prepared for a winter involving such evident risk. It is pro- 
bable, however, that on the outside the formation of young 
ice would have been much retarded by the swell; and I am 
inclined to believe that a season so unfavourable as this will 
be found of rare occurrence. 

We observed a great many narwhals in different parts of 
Barrow's Strait, and a few walruses, and should perhaps have 



54 



THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 



seen many more of both, but for the continual presence of 
the young ice, 

I shall close this season's narrative with the result of a few- 
experiments made at different times on the specific gravity 
and temperature of the sea-water at various depths below the 
surface. 



1824. 

DAY. 




WATER BROUGHT UP 


Temp, of 




TIME. 


From a 


Specific 


Temp, when 


Sur- 


Atmo- 


REMARKS. 










dtpth of 


Gravity. 


Weig 
hed. 


Bro't 

up. , 


water 


sphere. 








Fathoms 


+° 


+ ° 


+ ° 




June 24. 


8 P.M. 


48 


. . iT. 


32 


34 


32 




July 8. 


10.30AM 


109 




m # 


S3 


37 


37.5 


Whole depth 112 fa- 




r 


Surface 
1* 


1.0039 
1.0204 
1.0190 


57 
67 
71 


1 






thoms. 


18. 


A.M. < 


10 
20 
30 


1.0230 
1.0247 
1 0261 


75 
73 
66 


: 
>• 


31.5 


31to33 


Closely surrounded 
by extensive bodies 
of ice. 






100 


1.0257 


72 










L 


215 
215 


1.0267 


57 


30 


30.5 


35 






" 


Surface 


1.0012 


55 


1 












2 


1.0191 


59.5 












10 


1.0256 


57 














20 


1.0257 


61 










25. 


P.M. < 


30 

50 

100 

200 

300 


1.0267 
1.0267 
1.0264 
1.0271 
1.027C 


59.5 

59.5 

55.5 

56 

58 


>• 


32.5 


34.5 


Ditto. 




I 


400 


1.0265 


59.5 


J 








Sept. 12. 


A.M.J 


5 
300 


1.0255 

1.0275 


52 
52 


^30 


28.5 


18 i 


Very little ice in 
sight: whole depthof 












water 365 fathoms. 


13. 


A.M. 


200 


1.0262 


61 


28.5 


28.5 


20 £ 

r 
i 


Whole depth 210 fa- 
thoms. 
















Dissolved from 
















young salt-water ice 


18. 




Surface 


1.008? 


50 






i 


an inch thick, con- 
taining a brown ve- 
getable substance. 

From a part of a 


19. 


. . . 




1.0011 


47 


. . 


.a., 1 

28 1 18.5 


berg, dissolved on 


Oct. 2. 


P.M. 


54 


• • 


. . 


29 


board for drinking. 



OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE 



CHAPTER III. 

WINTER ARRANGEMENTS— IMPROVEMENTS IN WARMING AND 

VENTILATING THE SHIPS MASQUERADES ADOPTED AS AN 

AMUSEMENT TO THE MEN ESTABLISHMENT OP SCHOOLS 

MAGNETIC AND ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATIONS METEO- 
ROLOGICAL PHENOMENA. 

Our present winter-arrangements so closely resembled, in 
general, those before adopted, that a fresh description of them 
here would prove little more than a repetition of that already 
contained in the narratives of our former voyages. On each 
succeeding occasion, however, some improvements were made 
which, for the benefit of those hereafter engaged in similar 
enterprises, it may be proper to record. For all those whose 
lot it may be to succeed us, sooner or later, in these inhospi- 
table regions, may be assured that it is only by rigid and un- 
remitted attention to these and numberless other " little 
things," that they can hope to enjoy the good state of health 
which, under the divine blessing, it has always been our hap- 
piness, in so extraordinary a degree, to experience. 

In the description I shall offer of the appearances of nature, 
and of the various occurrences, during this winter, I know 
not how I can do better than pursue a method similar to that 
heretofore practised, by confining myself rather to the point- 
ing out of any difference observed in them now and formerly, 
than by entering on a fresh description of the actual pheno- 
mena. To those who read, as well as to those who describe, 
the account of a winter passed in these regions can no longer 
be expected to afford the interest of novelty it once possessed; 
more especially in a station already delineated with a tolerable 
geographical precision on our maps, and thus, as it were, 
brought, near to our fire-sides at home. Independently, in- 



56 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 

deed, of this circumstance, it is hard to conceive any one thing 
more like another than two winters passed in the higher lati- 
tudes of the Polar regions, except when variety happens to be 
afforded by intercourse with some other branch of " the 
whole family of man." Winter after winter, nature here 
assumes an aspect so much alike, that cursory observation can 
scarcely detect a single feature of variety. The winter of 
more temperate climates, and even in some of no slight seve- 
rity, is occasionally diversified by a thaw, which at once gives 
variety and comparative cheerfulness to the prospect. But 
here, when once the earth is covered, all is dreary monoto- 
nous whiteness — not merely for days or weeks, but for more 
than half a year together. Whichever way the eye is turned, 
it meets a picture calculated to impress upon the mind an idea 
of inanimate stillness, of that motionless torpor with which 
our feelings have nothing congenial; of anything, in short, 
but life. In the very silence there is a deadness with which 
a human spectator appears out of keeping. The presence of 
man seems an intrusion on the dreary solitude of this wintry 
desert, which even its native animals "have for a while 
forsaken. 

As this general description of the aspect of nature would 
suit alike each winter we have passed in the ice, so also, with 
very little variation, might bur limited catalogue of occurren- 
ces and adventures serve equally for any one of those seasons. 
Creatures of circumstance, we act and feel as we did before 
on every like occasion, and as others will probably do after us 
in the same situation. Whatever difference time or events 
may have wrought in individual feelings, and however differ- 
ent the occupations which those feelings may have suggested, 
they are not such as, without impertinence, can be intruded 
upon others; with these "the stranger intermeddleth not. " 
I am persuaded, therefore, that I shall be excused in sparing 
the dulness of another winter's diary, and confining myself 
exclusively to those facts which appear to possess any scien- 
tific interest, to the few incidents which did diversify our 



OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 5< 

confinement, and to such remarks as may contribute to the 
health and comfort of any future sojourners in these dreary 
regions. 

It may well be supposed that, in this climate, the principal 
desideratum which art is called upon to furnish for the pro- 
motion of health, is warmth, as well in the external air as in 
the inhabited apartments. Exposure to a cold atmosphere, 
when the body is well clothed, produces no bad effect what- 
ever beyond a frost-bitten cheek, nose, or finger. As for any 
injury to healthy lungs from the breathing of cold air, or from 
sudden changes from this into a warm atmosphere, or vice 
versa, it may with much confidence be asserted that, with 
due attention to external clothing, there is nothing in this re- 
spect to be apprehended. This inference, at least, would ap- 
pear legitimate, from the fact that our crews, consisting of 
one hundred and twenty persons, have for four winters been 
constantly undergoing, for months together, a change of from 
eighty to a hundred degrees of temperature, in the space of 
time required for opening two doors, (perhaps less than half 
a minute) without incurring any pulmonary complaints at all. 
Nor is a covering for the mouth at all necessary under these 
circumstances, though to most persons very conducive to 
comfort; for some individuals, from extreme dislike to the 
condensation and freezing of the breath about the " comfort- 
er" generally used for this purpose, have never worn any 
such defence for the mouth; and this without the slightest 
injurious effect or uncomfortable feeling beyond that of a cold 
face, which becomes comparatively trifling by habit. 

In speaking of the external clothing sufficient for health in 
this climate, it must be confessed that, in severe exposure, 
quite a load of woollen clothes, even of the best quality, is in- 
sufficient to retain a comfortable degree of warmth; a strong 
breeze carrying it off so rapidly that the sensation is that of 
the cold piercing through the body. A jacket made very 
long, like those called by seamen "pea-jackets," and lined 
with fur throughout, would be more effectual than twice the 

8 



58 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 

weight of woollen clothes, and is indeed almost weather proof. 
For the prevention of lumbago, to which our seamen are espe- 
cially liable, from their well-known habit of leaving their loins 
imperfectly clothed, every man should be strictly obliged to 
wear, under his outer clothes, a canvas belt a foot broad, lined 
with flannel, and having straps to go over the shoulder.* 

It is certain, however, that no precautions in clothing are 
sufficient to maintain health during a polar winter, without a 
due degree of warmth in the apartments we inhabit. Most 
persons are apt to associate with the idea of warmth, some- 
thing like the comfort derived from a good fire on a winter's 
evening at home; but in these regions the case is inconceivably 
different: here it is not simple comfort, but health, and there- 
fore ultimately life, that depends upon it. The want of a con- 
stant supply of warmth is here immediately followed by a con- 
densation of all the moisture, whether from the breath, victuals, 
or other sources, into abundant drops of water, very rapidly 
forming on all the coldest parts of the deck. A still lower 
temperature modifies, and perhaps improves the annoyance by 
converting it into ice, which again an occasional increase of 
warmth dissolves into water. Nor is this the amount of the 
evil, though it is the only visible part of it; for not only is a 
moist atmosphere thus incessantly kept up, but it is rendered 
stagnant also by the want of that ventilation which warmth 
alone can furnish. With an apartment in this state, the men's 
clothes and bedding are continually in a moist and unwhole- 
some condition, generating a deleterious air which there is no 
circulation to carry off; and whenever these circumstances 
combine for any length of time together, so surely may the 
scurvy, to say nothing of other diseases, be confidently ex- 
pected to exhibit itself. 

With a strong conviction of these facts, arising from the ex- 

* Most Greenland sailors use these ; but many persons, both officers and 
men, have an absurd prejudice against what they call " wearing stays.'* 



OP A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 59 

treme anxiety with which I have been accustomed to watch 
every minute circumstance connected with the health of our 
people, it may be conceived how highly I must appreciate any 
means that can be devised to counteract effects so pernicious. 
Such means have been completely furnished by Mr. Sylves- 
ter's warming apparatus, a contrivance of which I scarcely 
know how to express my admiration in adequate terms. The 
alteration adopted on this voyage of placing this stove in the 
very bottom of the hold, produced not only the effect naturally 
to be expected from it, of increasing the rapidity of the cur- 
rent of warm air, and thus carrying it to all the officers' ca- 
bins with less loss of heat in its passage; but was also accom- 
panied by an advantage scarcely less important, which had not 
been anticipated. This was the perfect and uniform warmth 
maintained during the winter in both the cable-tiers, which, 
when cleared of all the stores, gave us another habitable deck, 
on which more than one-third of the men's hammocks were 
birthed; thus affording to the ship's companies, during seven 
or eight months of the year, the indescribable comfort of nearly 
twice the space for their beds, and twice the volume of air to 
breathe in. It need scarcely be added, how conducive to 
wholesome ventilation, and to the prevention of moisture be- 
low, such an arrangement proved; suffice it to say that we have 
never before been so free from moisture, and that I cannot but 
chiefly attribute to this apparatus the unprecedented good state 
of health we enjoyed during this winter. 

The mean daily temperature upon the Hecla's lower-deck 
during the winter is given in the meteorological abstracts; in the 
tiers it was generally about 60°, and never below 56°, and that 
of my cabin (hitherto much the coldest part of the ship) was 
63°, from December to April inclusive. The two coldest of 
the officers' cabins, which were those at the foot of the after- 
ladder, varied between 50° and 60°, the mean being about 56°, 
and all the others were several degrees higher. Mr. Daniell's 
hygrometer was tried on several occasions in different parts of 



60 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 

the ship. The following examples will show how great a de- 
gree of dryness was maintained below: — 



The Dew 



Temp, of Temp, of , 

Day. the Part of the Ship. the 

Ext.Air. Apartment. 

h. m. o o 

Jan. 9, 11 30a.m. — 22 p Middle of lower-deck-f 67.5 -f-53.5 All the people 

had been on 
the lower-deck 
for an hour and 
ahalfprevious- 
ly, but were off' 
the deck at the 
time. 

C Captain's cabin . . -{-64 +48} A few people 

Apr. 5, 11 30 — 20° < Gun-room . . . . -f 64 - 2 4 50 > below; the cop- 

C Middle of lower-deck -f-63.5 4 55 3 persboiling.and 

meat taking out. 

— -11, 9 30p.m.+6° . . . Ditto . . -J-66 -fS5 The ship's com- 
pany in bed. 



I must add to these remarks, which the vital importance 
of the subject has alone induced me to continue to such a 
length, that no means for the production of internal warmth 
will prove sufficient, without the most minute attention to 
the stopping of every crevice communicating with the exter- 
nal air. There should, on this account, be no openings what- 
ever, but those for the stove-pipes and the two ladders; the 
sides and upper-deck should be lined with thick cork, the 
former being defended also externally by a high and broad 
bank of snow, and the latter by a thick covering of snow and 
^sand, especially over the closed hatchways, where it is ex- 
tremely difficult to prevent an accumulation of moisture be- 
low. I have heard a doubt expressed whether, with all these 
precautions, there is not a risk of not admitting enough fresh 
air for healthy respiration, and to afford draught to the fires. 
But I do not think there is any reason for this apprehension; 
enough, and, without great care, more than enough, for these 
purposes will always gain admission by the frequent opening 
of the doors; for it should be remembered that the more 



OP A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 61 

warmth is produced below, the more forcibly will the cold 
air from above find its way in to supply the place of that 
which is rarefied. A constant struggle is thus going on 
between the two; and that wholesome ventilation, whereby 
a warm and dry atmosphere can alone be maintained in a 
crowded apartment in any climate, and in most temperate 
ones is best promoted by a free admission of atmospheric air, 
is here most effectually ensured by due care not to let the cold 
preponderate. It was found a great improvement, during 
the winter, to turn the fore-ladder "fore and aft," so that 
whatever cold air came down in opening the doors, immedi- 
ately passed towards the galley-fire, by this means prevent- 
ing, for the first time, any condensation of vapour at the foot 
of the ladder. We also derived great advantage from lead- 
ing the pipe of Sylvester's stove, and that in the sick-bay, 
into the galley-funnel, thus getting rid of all but one chim- 
ney, Which being a large one, was quite sufficient for ven- 
tilation. 

The ventilation which goes on upon a ship's lower-deck, 
especially when assisted by the excellent means above alluded 
to, exhibits itself curiously in cold weather, by the quantity 
of vapour which is always visibly ascending through the gal- 
ley-funnel, like a dense column of smoke, and which is most 
dense at night, when everybody is below, and there is no 
fire in the range; because the vapour is then most abundant 
and most rapidly condensed in its ascent. Another curious 
phenomenon generally # takes place in the day-time, when the 
fires are clear, and very little besides aqueous vapour is es- 
caping. The smoke (for such it appears to be) is divided 
into two separate streams, one at each side of the cylin- 
der as you look at it, while in the centre nothing is percep- 
tible. 

The explanation suggested by Dr. Neill is quite satisfactor 
ry. The cold iron condenses the vapour in immediate con- 
tact with it into a visible form, while that in the centre is held 
in solution by the warm air at a distance from the metal; and 



62 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 

as the spectator always looks through several strata of thi» 
■condensed vapour at the sides, and only through one in the 
middle, the effect becomes that above described. 

One very healthy comfort which I had long wished to esta- 
blish for the ship's company, but could never till now venture 
to attempt, was that of providing the Conveniences for a certain 
number of men daily to wash themselves from head to foot in 
tubs of hot water, throughout the winter. For this purpose, 
a portion of one of the tiers was skreened off every morning, 
and the practice was continued during our whole stay in win- 
ter-quarters, without the slightest annoyance from moisture; 
so capable was the atmosphere below of holding this addition- 
al vapour in solution. 

Every attention was, as usual, paid to the occupation and 
diversion of the men's minds, as well as to the regularity of 
their bodily exercise. Our former amusements being almost 
worn threadbare, it required some ingenuity to devise any 
plan that should possess the charm of novelty to recommend 
it. This purpose was completely answered, however, by a 
proposal of Captain Hoppner, to attempt a masquerade, in 
which officers and men should alike take a part, but which, 
without imposing any restraint whatever, would leave every 
one to their own choice, whether to join in this diversion or 
not. It is impossible that any idea could have proved more 
happy, or more exactly suited to our situation. Admirably- 
dressed characters of various descriptions readily took their 
parts, and many of these were supported with a degree of 
spirit and genuine humour which would not have disgraced a 
a more refined assembly; while the latter might not have dis- 
dained, and would not have been disgraced by, copying the 
good order, decorum, and inoffensive cheerfulness which our 
humble masquerades presented. It does especial credit to the 
dispositions and good sense of our men, that, though all the offi- 
cers entered fully into the spirit of these amusements, which 
took place once a month, alternately on board each ship, no 
instance occurred of any thing that could interfere with the 



OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 63 

regular discipline, or at all weaken the respect of the men to- 
wards their superiors. Ours were masquerades without li- 
centiousness — carnivals without excess. 

But an occupation not less assiduously pursued, and of infi- 
nitely more eventual benefit, was furnished by the re-establish- 
ment of our schools, under the voluntary superintendence of 
my friend Mr. Hooper in the Hecla, and of Mr. Mogg in the 
Fury. By the judicious zeal of Mr. Hooper, the Hecla's 
school was made subservient not merely to the improvement 
of the men in reading and writing (in which, however, their 
progress was surprisingly great), but also to the cultivation of 
that religious feeling which so essentially improves the charac- 
ter of a seaman, by furnishingdhe highest motives for increased 
attention to every other duty. Nor was the benefit confined 
to the eighteen or twenty individuals whose want of scholar- 
ship brought them to the school-table, but extended itself to 
the rest of the ship's company, making the whole lower- 
deck such a scene of quiet rational occupation as I never be- 
fore witnessed on board a ship. And I do not speak lightly 
when I express my thorough persuasion, that to the moral ef- 
fects thus produced upon the minds of the men, were owing, 
in a very high degree, the constant yet sober cheerfulness, the 
uninterrupted good order, and even, in some measure, the ex- 
traordinary state of health which prevailed among us during 
this winter. 

Immediately after the ships were finally secured, we erected 
the observatory on shore, and commenced our arrangements 
for the various observations to which our attention was to be 
directed during the winter. The interest of these, especially 
of such as related to magnetism, increased so much as we pro- 
ceeded, that the neighbourhood of the observatory assumed, 
ere long, almost the appearance of a scattered village, the num- 
ber of detached houses having various needles set up in them, 
soon amounting to seven or eight. The details of these obser- 
vations being given in the proper tables, it is only my inten- 
tion to offer here a brief account of the subjects on which we 



64 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 

were principally engaged, together with the general conclu- 
sions at which the experiments enabled us satisfactorily to 
arrive. 

The first observations on the variation of the magnetic needle, 
on our arrival at Port Bowen, discovered to us the interesting 
fact of an increase in that phenomenon, since our former visit 
in 1819, amounting to about nine degrees, namely, from oije 
hundred and fourteen to one hundred and twenty -three degrees. 
By employing delicately suspended, instead of supported 
needles, we also found a diurnal variation to an amount, and 
having a regularity, of which we had before no idea. The 
maximum variation westerly was observed to occur between 
the hours of ten, a. m., and one,, p m. ; and the minimum be- 
tween eight, v. m., and two, a. m.;* the quantity being seldom 
less than I5 to 2°, and sometimes amounting to five, six, and 
even to seven degrees. 

In connexion with these observations we subsequently in- 
stituted a regular series of hourly experiments on the magnetic 
intensity, with a suspended needle of a peculiar construction, 
which admitted of the intervals of vibration being observed 
with minute accuracy; by which means we found a diurnal 
change of intensity, subject, indeed, to occasional anomalies, 
but in the mean of a number of days exhibiting a regular in- 
crease of intensity from the morning to the afternoon, and as 
regular a decrease from the afternoon to the morning. It also 
appeared that the sun, and, as we had reason to believe, the 
relative position of the sun and moon, with reference to the 
magnetic sphere, had a considerable influence both on the in- 
tensity and diurnal variation, although the exact laws of this 
influence may still remain to be discovered. 

While unassisted Nature was thus developing, on a large 
scale, some curious facts on the subject of magnetism, Lieu- 

* The exact time of diurnal maximum variation, deduced from a mean of 
one hundred and twenty days, or about four months' observations, was llh. 
49m., a. m. That of the minimum variation was lOh. 01m., p. m. 



OP A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 65 

tenant Foster was besides engaged in repeating the interesting 
and important experiments of Messrs. Barlow and Christie 
(detailed in the Philosoph. Trans, for 1823, part ii.) upon a 
needle having its position modified, and its directive power re- 
duced, by the application of artificial magnets. A very curious 
and remarkable result soon repaid his labour, namely, that the 
true bearing upon which a needle exhibits its minimum vari- 
ation (we might, perhaps, venture to call it none), is the same 
at Port Bowen as at Woolwich, or about S. 38° E.,* which 
would almost lead to a conclusion that this is a constant line all 
over the world. A similar coincidence seemed to obtain, with 
respect to the magnetic bearing of the line of maximum varia- 
tion, which here appeared to be about N. 66° E., agreeing 
very nearly with that determined in England by Mr. Barlow. 

We did not succeed in obtaining, during the winter, any 
satisfactory results directly tending to establish the fact of a 
regular diurnal variation in the dip, either with a dipping- 
needle having its magnetic intensity weakened by the influ- 
ence of artificial magnets, or otherwise; although, from the 
ever- varying changes of intensity by which a horizontal needle 
is solicited, it would appear that correspondent alterations in 
the dip must necessarily be going on. 

I have purposely deferred to this place the few remarks I 
shall offer, in my journal, respecting Mr. Barlow's plate for 
correcting the effect of local attraction on board a ship. Pre- 
viously to the expedition leaving the river Thames, and when 
all the stores had been received, the plate on board the Hecla 
was fixed by experiment, under Mr. Barlow's personal super- 
intendence, at Northfleet, in such a manner as would undoubt- 
edly have afforded a correction, if not quite absolute, at least 
sufficiently so for every practical purpose, in all but the polar 
regions of the earth. On our passage up Davis' Strait, how- 
ever, it was observed that, in certain positions of the ship' s 
head, of course principally those approaching to east or west, 

* Or S. 85° W. at Port Bowen (magnetic). See Mr. Barlow's Essay. 

9 



ff6 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERT 

a considerable and increasing error was still occasioned by the 
attraction of the iron. A little consideration served to show 
that this might a priori have been anticipated, on account of 
the extreme minuteness with which, under a directive power 
very greatly diminished, it would be necessary to determine 
the true position of the plate; for instance, an error in position 
not at all to be detected by observation at Northfleet would, in 
Davis' Strait, discover itself to the amount perhaps of several 
degrees, inasmuch as the whole phenomenon is there exhibited 
on a larger scale, proportionate to the decrease of directive 
energy. During our stay at the Whale-fish Islands, therefore, 
we gladly availed ourselves of the opportunity to obtain the 
correct position of the plate. In doing this, we followed the 
simple method recommended and adopted by Mr. Barlow, 
swinging the ship round successively on the different points, 
and thus obtaining the deviation by magnetic back-bearings 
taken simultaneously on the land; and afterwards finding, by 
experiments on shore, that position of the plate which correct- 
\y represented the same amount of deviation. The plate thus 
placed was now to undergo a severe trial on the ship's arrival 
in Barrow's Strait, and Prince Regent's Inlet, where, from 
the extraordinary increase of dip, and the consequently aug- 
mented effect of the ship's iron upon the magnetic needle, the 
compasses had before been rendered wholly useless on board 
ship. Never had an invention a more complete and satisfac- 
tory triumph; for, to the last moment of our operations at sea, 
did the compass indicate the true magnetic direction, requiring, 
of course, at times, a considerable degree of tapping with the 
hand, merely to relieve the needle from friction. And even 
at Port Bowen, where the dip is eighty-eight degrees, and the 
magnetic intensity acting on a horizontal needle extremely 
weak in consequence, the azimuth compass on board actually 
gave the same variation as that observed on shore, within the 
fair and reasonable limits of error of observation under such 
circumstances. Such an invention as this, so sound in prin- 
ciple, so easy of application, and so universally beneficial in 
practice, needs no testimony of mine to establish its merits; 



OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 67 

but when I consider the many anxious days and sleepless nights 
which the uselessness of the compass in these seas has formerly 
occasioned me, I really should esteem it a kind of personal in- 
gratitude to Mr. Barlow, as well as great injustice to so memo- 
rable a discovery, not to have stated my opinion of its merits, 
under circumstances so well calculated to put them to a satis- 
factory trial. * 

The amount of atmospheric refraction at low temperatures 
was the subject which, next to magnetism, appeared the most 
interesting to investigate. The extreme difficulty attending 
the use of the repeating-circle during intense cold, rendering 
it next to impossible to obtain with that instrument observa- 
tions of a star having quick motion, with the minute accuracy 
requisite for this purpose, we were led to adopt the simple 
method of observing the setting of a star behind a horizontal 
board fixed edgewise on a neighbouring hill, the altitude bf 
the board being obtained at leisure, by repeated observations 
with the circle. The numerical details of these observations 
being given in the proper Tables, I shall only add in this place, 
that they make the refraction at low temperatures, and from 
the altitude of 4^° to 7§°, as computed from the Table in the 
Nautical Almanac, considerably in defect. 

The rest of our time was chiefly occupied in the observations 
for latitude and longitude, the former by Mr. Bailey's very 
useful tables and formula for the Pole star;t the latter by the 
several methods of occultations, eclipses of Jupiter's satellites, 
the moon's transit, and by lunar distances, the chronometrical 
longitude being also taken into account. Lieutenant Foster 
also omitted'no opportunity of observing the transits of the 
several small stars given in the " Astronomische Nachrichten," 
for comparison with the moon in right ascension, for the pur- 
pose of obtaining the absolute longitude. 

* On repeating the experiments at Northfleet, on the return of the Heels 
to England, the plate was found to remain equally efficacious, 
f Published in the Philosophical Magazine, June, 1822. 



68 'THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY" 

A six-pounder gun was placed at the head of the bay, a dis« 
tance of nearly thirteen thousand feet, or about two nautical 
miles, in order to ascertain the rate at which sound travels at 
different temperatures and pressures of the atmosphere. Our 
observations appear to indicate a decided decrease of velocity 
with an increased density of the atmosphere; the rate of 
travelling decreasing from one thousand and ninety-eight feet 
per second, at a pressure of 30.118 in. and temperature 
+ 33.5°, to one thousand and fourteen feet per second at a pres- 
sure of 30.398, and temperature — 38.5; all other circum- 
stances being alike. 

The extreme facility with which sounds are heard at a 
considerable distance, in severely cold weather, has often been 
a subject of remark; but a circumstance occurred at Port 
Bowen, which deserves to be noticed as affording a sort of 
' measure of this facility, or at least conveying to others some 
definite idea of the fact. Lieutenant Foster having occasion 
to send a man from the observatory to the opposite shore of 
the harbour, a measured distance of 6696 feet, or about one 
statute mile and two-tenths, in order to fix a meridian mark, 
had placed a second person half-way between, to repeat his 
directions; but he found on trial that this precaution was un- 
necessary, as he could without difficulty keep up a conversa- 
tion with the man at the distant station. The thermometer 
was at this time — 18°, the barometer 30.14 inches, and the 
weather nearly calm, and quite clear and serene. 

The meteorological phenomena observed during this winter, 
like most of its other occurrences, differed so little in charac- 
ter from those noticed on the former voyages, a? to render a 
separate description of each wholly unnecessary. It will, 
therefore, be sufficient for me to give one general and concise 
account of the whole, confining myself to such facts as were 
either new to us, or appear in other respects to merit a distinct 
notice. 

The Aurora Borealis, which constitutes one of the peculiar 
features of a polar winter, occurred with nearly the same fre- 



Two 


in October, 


Five 


„ November, 


Seven 


„ December, 


Fifteen 


„ January, • 


Thirteen 


„ February, 


Five 


„ March, 



OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 69 

quency as on former occasions. The number of nights on 
which it is registered, are — 



I 



being in the whole forty-seven, from October to March. It 
may have appeared faintly on a few other occasions, not no- 
ticed in our journals, and unquestionably would have been seen 
more frequently, but for the height of the land on the south 
side of Port Bowen, which intercepted our view to the alti- 
tude of five or six degrees. By far the greater part of these 
phenomena assumed one general character, and occupied nearly 
the same position. It usually consisted of an arch, sometimes 
tolerably continuous, but more frequently broken into detached 
irregular masses or nebulae of light, extending from about 
West to S.E. (true), which bearings correspond with N.E.b.N., 
and W.b.S. (magnetic.) It sometimes, however, extended a. 
few points beyond those bearings, but very rarely occupied 
any of the northern part of the heavens. Its termination to 
the S.E. was never exactly visible, owing to the height of the 
land in that quarter; but, upon the whole, the arch seems 
to have been more frequently bisected by the plane of the 
magnetic, than by that of the true, meridian. The altitude 
of the upper margin of a permanent arch seldom exceeded 
ten or fifteen degrees, and from this corruscations were gene- 
rally observed to be shooting towards the zenith. In a few 
instances the arch itself passed as high as the zenith, and on a 
single occasion, on the 28th of January, its direction was 
from true north to south. The lower edge of the arch was 
generally well defined and unbroken, and the sky beneath it 
appeared by contrast so exactly like a dark cloud (to me often, 
of a brownish colour,) that nothing at the time of viewing it 



70 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 

could well convince one to the contrary, if the stars shining 
there with undiminished lustre did not discover the decep- 
tion. 

This winter certainly afforded but few brilliant displays of 
the Aurora. The following notice includes all that appear to 
me to require a separate description. 

Late on the night of the 21st of December, the phenome- 
non appeared partially, and with a variable light, in different 
parts of the southern sky, for several hours. At seven on the 
following morning, it became more brilliant and stationary, 
describing a well-defined arch, extending from the E.S.E. ho- 
rizon to that at W.N.W., and passing through the zenith. A 
very faint arch was also visible on each side of this, appearing 
to diverge from the same points in the horizon*, and separating 
to twenty degrees' distance in the zenith. It remained thus 
for twenty minutes, when the corruscations from each arch 
met, and after a short but brilliant display of light gradually 
died away. Early on the morning of the fifteenth of Janu- 
ary, the Aurora broke out to the southward, and continued 
variable for three hours, between a N.W. and S.E. bearing. 
From three to four o'clock, the whole horizon from south to 
west was brilliantly illuminated, the light being continuous 
almost throughout the whole extent, and reaching several de- 
grees in height. Very bright vertical rays were constantly 
shooting upwards from the general mass. At half-past five, 
it again became so brilliant, as to attract particular notice, 
describing two arches passing in an east and west direction, 
very near the zenith, with bright corruscations issuing from it; 
but the whole gradually disappeared with the returning dawn. 
At dusk the same evening, the Aurora again appeared in the 
southern quarter, and continued visible nearly the whole night, 
but without any remarkable feature. 

* I am aware that this appearance is usually referred to the effect of 
viewing the phenomenon in perspective ; but I here describe appearances 
onlv. 



OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 71 

About midnight on the 27th of January, this phenomenon 
broke out in a single compact mass of brilliant yellow light, 
situated about a S. E. bearing, and appearing only a short dis- 
tance above the land. This mass of light, notwithstanding its 
general continuity, sometimes appeared to be evidently com- 
posed of numerous pencils of rays, compressed, as it were, 
laterally into one, its limits both to the right and left being 
well defined &nd nearly vertical. The light, though very 
bright at all times, varied almost constantly in intensity, and 
this had the appearance (not an uncommon one in the Aurora) 
of being produced by one volume of light overlaying another, 
just as we see the darkness and density of smoke increased by 
cloud rolling over cloud. While Lieutenants Sherer and Ross, 
and myself, were admiring the extreme beauty of this pheno- 
menon from the observatory, we all simultaneously uttered 
an exclamation of surprise at seeing a bright ray of the Au- 
rora shoot suddenly downward from the general mass of light, 
and between us and the land, which was there distant only 
three thousand yards. Had I witnessed this phenomenon by 
myself, I should have been disposed to receive with caution 
the evidence even of my own senses, as to this last fact; but 
the appearance conveying precisely the same idea to three in- 
dividuals at once, all intently engaged in looking towards the 
spot, I have no doubt that the ray of light actually passed 
within that distance of us. 

About one o'clock on the morning of the 23rd of February, 
the Aurora again appeared over the hills in a south direction, 
presenting a brilliant mass of light, very similar to that 
just described. The rolling motion of the light laterally was 
here also very striking, as well as the increase of its intensity 
thus occasioned. The light occupied horizontally about a 
point of the compass, and extended in height scarcely a degree 
above the land, which seemed, however, to conceal from us a 
part of the phenomenon. It was always evident enough that 
the most attenuated light of the Aurora sensibly dimmed the 



72 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 

stars, like a thin veil drawn over them. We frequently listened 
for any sound proceeding from this phenomenon, but never 
heard any. 

On several occasions which seemed the most favourable for 
the purpose, the electrometer with gold-leaf was applied to 
the chain, But without the slightest perceptible effect. The 
chain was attached to the sky-sail mast-head by glass rods, 
precisely in the manner described on our last voyage, the 
pointed end of the upper link being considerably above the 
mast-head, and one hundred and fifteen feet from the level of 
the sea. That the atmosphere during the winter-months was 
favourable to the excitement of electricity, appeared from the 
facility with which a small electrical machine, constructed by 
Mr. Rowland, was found to act. The sparks given out by 
this machine, of which the cylinder was only six inches long, 
and five in diameter, Dr. Neill considered as large as are 
usually elicited from apparatus of much larger dimensions in 
England. Our variation-needles, which were extremely light, 
suspended in the most delicate manner, and from the weak di- 
rective energy susceptible of being acted upon by a very 
slight disturbing force, were never in a single instance sensi- 
bly affected by the Aurora, which could scarcely fail to have 
been observed at some time or other, had any such disturbance 
taken place, the needles being visited every hour for several 
months, and oftener, when any thing occurred to make it de- 
sirable. 

The meteors called Falling-stars were much more frequent 
during this winter than we ever before saw them, and particu- 
larly during the month of December. On the Sth, at a quarter 
past seven in the evening, a particularly large and brilliant 
meteor of this kind fell in the S.S.W., the weather being 
very fine and clear overhead, but hazy near the horizon. On 
the following day, between four and five p.m., another very 
brilliant one was observed in the north, falling from an altitude 
of about thirty -five degrees till lost behind the land; the 
weather was at this time clear and serene, and no remarkable 



OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 73 

change took place. On the 12th, no less than five meteors of 
this kind were observed in a quarter of an hour, and as these 
were attended with some remarkable circumstances, I shall 
here give the account furnished me by Mr. Ross, who with 
Mr. Bell observed these phenomena. "From 7 to 9 p.m. 
the wind suddenly increased from a moderate breeze to a 
strong gale from the southward. At ten it began to moderate 
a little; the haze which had for several hours obscured every 
star, gradually sinking towards the horizon, and by eleven 
o'clock the whole atmosphere was extremely clear above the 
altitude of five or six degrees. The thermometer also fell 
from — 5° to — 9° as the haze cleared away. At a quarter 
past eleven my attention was directed by Mr. Bell to some 
meteors which he observed, and in less than a quarter of an 
hour five were seen. The two first, noticed only by Mr. 
Bell, fell in quick succession, probably not more than two 
minutes part. The third appeared about eight minutes after 
these, and exceeded in brilliancy any of the surrounding 
stars. It took a direction from near /3 Tauri, and passing 
slowly towards the Pleiades left behind it sparks like the tail 
of a rocket, these being visible for a few seconds after the me- 
teor appeared to break, which it did close to the Pleiades. 
The fourth meteor made its appearance very near the same 
place as the last, and about five minutes after it. Taking the 
course of those seen by Mr. Bell, it passed to the eastward, 
and disappeared half way between /3 Tauri and Gemini. The 
fifth of these meteors was seen to the eastward, passing through 
a space of about five degrees from north to south parallel to 
the horizon, and moving along the upper part of the cloud, of 
haze which still extended to the altitude of five or six degrees. 
It was more dim than the rest, and of a red colour like Alde- 
baran. The third of these meteors was the only one that left 
a tail behind it, as above described. There was a faint ap- 
pearance of the Aurora to the westward near the horizon." 

On the 14th of December several very bright meteors were 
observed to fall between the hours of five and six in the even- 

10 



74 



THIRD VOYAtiE FOR THE DISCOVERY 



ing, at which time the wind freshened from the N.W. by N„ 
in a very remarkable manner. On this occasion, as well as 
on the 12th of December, there appeared to be an evident 
coincidence between the occurrence of the meteors and the 
changes of the weather at the time. 

On the 7th of January, the weather being clear and cold, 
the moon was curiously distorted by refraction, for several 
minutes before setting, into the shapes, and according to the 
order, shewn in the annexed sketch by Mr. Head. 



ill 



11 






,i 



■■I 



in 



iiJ ii I t l iiffll 





OP A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 75 

Haloes appeared very frequently round the moon, particu- 
larly about the times of her opposition, and when there was 
any haze in the atmosphere. Two or three times an indis- 
tinct paraselena was seen on each side, situated, as usual, upon 
the halo, and at the angular distance of about twenty-three 
degrees from the moon. In one instance only, the paraselenae 
were slightly coloured with a faint red tint. In the autumn 
and spring, particularly the latter, haloes and parhelia were 
very frequently about the sun, the measurement of their an- 
gular distance from that luminary being always between 
twenty-two and twenty-three degrees. None of these phe- 
nomena were such as to deserve further notice, except one on 
the 29th of March, when at 9.30, a.m., an imperfect halo ap- 
peared around the sun, with a faint parhelion on each side. 
On the part of the halo directly over the sun, was seen a seg- 
ment of an inverted circle, faintly coloured ; and again above 
this, at the distance of 46° 40" from the sun, was a short seg- 
ment of another inverted circle, coloured like a brilliant rain- 
bow. A circle of broad but faint white light could be traced 
completely round the heavens, passing through the sun and 
parhelia, and parallel to the horizon; and situated on this cir- 
cle, at the distance of 114^° on each side of the sun, was a 
large white spot. The phenomenon exhibited a part of that 
described at Melville Island, on the 19th of April, 1820, the 
circles now seen, besides the halo, corresponding with those 
marked x d v, mfn, and t u, in the diagram accompanying 
that description.* Minute particles of snow were at this time 
falling in great abundance. 

Particular attention was paid to the changes in the barome- 
ter during this winter, to which much encouragement was 
given by the excellence of the instruments with which we 
were now furnishedt. The times of register at sea had been 

* Narrative of the Voyage of 1819 — 20. 

f For this circumstance we are indebted to the kindness and well-known 
scientific zeal of Mr. Daniell, who himself superintended the construction 
of our barometers, and especially of one excellent instrument, by Newman, 



76 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 

three and nine, a.m., and p.m. ; those hours having been re- 
commended as the most proper for detecting any horary oscil- 
lations of the mercurial column. When we were fixed for the 
winter, and our attention could be more exclusively devoted 
to scientific objects, the register was extended to four and ten, 
and subsequently to five and eleven o'clock. The most rigid at- 
tention to the observation and correction of the column, during 
several months, discovered an oscillation, amounting only to 
ten thousandth-parts of an inch. The times of the maximum 
and minimum altitude appear, however, decidedly to lean to 
four and ten o'clock, and to follow a law directly the reverse, 
as to time, of that found to obtain in temperate climates, the 
column being highest at Jour, and lowest at ten o'clock, 
both a.m. and p.m. The whole of the observations being 
comprised in the Meteorological Abstracts, with the general 
results stated at the bottom of each, can be consulted with 
great convenience; and the Table which follows the Abstract 
for the month of April 1825, will afford one comprehensive 
view of six month's observations on this interesting subject 

The barometer did not appear to indicate beforehand the 
changes of the weather with any degree of certainty. Indeed 
the remark that we had always before made, that alterations 
in the mercurial column more frequently accompany than pre- 
cede the visible changes of weather in these regions, was 
equally true of our present experience; but on one or two oc- 
casions hard gales of considerable duration occurred without 
the barometer falling at all below the mean altitude of the co- 
lumn in these regions, or even rose steadily during the con- 
tinuance of the gale. During one week of almost constant 
blowing weather, and two days of very violent gales from 
the eastward, in the month of April, the barometer remained 
considerably above thirty inches the whole time. It is ne- 
cessary for me here to remark, that the unusual proportion of 

to be used as a standard with which the others could be compared. We 
owe a similar obligation to Mr. Daniell, with respect to thermometers. 



OP A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 77 

easterly winds registered in our journals during this winter 
must, in my opinion, be attributed to the local situation of 
our winter-quarters, which alone appears to me sufficient to 
account for the anomaly. The lands on each side of Port 
Bowen, running nearly east and west, and rising to a height 
of six to nine hundred feet above the sea, with deep and broad 
ravines intersecting the country in almost every direction, 
may be supposed to have had considerable influence on the 
direction of the wind. In confirmation of this supposition, in- 
deed, it was usually noticed that the easterly winds were with 
us attended with clear weather, while the contrary obtained 
with almost every breeze from the west and north-west, thus 
reversing in this respect also the usual order of things. It 
was moreover observed that the clouds were frequently co- 
ming from the N.W., when the wind in Port Bowen was 
easterly. I must, however, except the gales we experienced 
from the eastward, which were probably strong enough to 
overcome any local deflection to which a light breeze would 
be subject; and indeed these were always accompanied with 
overcast weather and a high thermometer. After the middle 
of October the gales of wind were very few till towards the 
middle of April, when we experienced more blowing weather 
than during the whole winter. 

The mean temperature of this season we considered rather 
high, as compared with that of our former winters, in propor- 
tion to the latitude of the station, as will appear from inspec- 
tion of the annexed Table, containing a comparative view of 
the mean temperature during six winter months at each 
station, arranged according to the latitudes of the respective 
places. 



78 



THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 



MONTHS. 


Mean temperature of the Atmosphere at 


REMARKS. 


Melville 

Island, 

Lat. 74|° 

1819—20. 


Port 
Bowen, 
Lat. 73^o 
1824—5. 


Igloolik, 
Lat. 69J' 
1822-3. 


Winter 

Island, 

Lat. 66|o t 

1821—2 


October 

November 

December 

January 

February 

March 


—6.46 

—23.6 

—24.79 

—33.09 

—35.19 

—21.10 


+10.85 
—5 

—19.05 
—28.91 
—27.32 
—28.37 

—16.30 


+ 9.79 
—22.37 
—30.8 
—20.07 

—23.41 
—22.75 

—18.27 


o 
+9.51 

+4.75 

—15.94 

—25.96 
—27.97 
—14.64 

—11.71 


The temperatures contained in 
this Table for Melville Island, 
Igloolik. and Winter Island, are 
those given in the Narrative of the 
Voyage of 1821— 2— 3, with the de- 
duction of 3° for the warm atmos- 
phere of the ship. This correction, 
which can only be a mean approxi- 
mation to the truth, perhaps makes 
the temperature of Melville Island 
rather too high, and that of Igloo- 
lik somewhat too low. 

■ 


Mean 


—24.04 



The distribution of the cold, if I may so call it, was now 
also somewhat different, the coldest month being January, 
next March, and then February. The difference, however, 
in the mean temperature of these three months was remark- 
ably small, ranging only from — 27°. 3, to — 28°. 9. The 
thermometer did not rise above zero till the 11th of April, 
having remained below that point of the scale for one hun- 
dred and thirty-one successive days, the only instance of this 
kind we have ever known. So low a mean temperature for 
three successive months would, if considered separately, have 
appeared to form a season of great severity, and certainly, 
with respect to personal comfort, did so; but viewed in con- 
nexion with the three preceding months, seems only to fur- 
nish a compensation for the unusual mildness of the early part 
of the winter. 



OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 79 



CHAPTER IV. 

METEOROLOGICAL PHENOMENA CONTINUED — RE-EQUIPMENT 

OF THE SHIPS SEVERAL JOURNIES UNDERTAKEN OPEN* 

WATER IN THE OFFING COMMENCE SAWING A CANAL TO 

LIBERATE THE SHIPS DISRUPTION OF THE ICE DEPAR- 
TURE FROM PORT BOWEN. 

The height of the land about Port Bowen deprived us long- 
er than usual of the sun's presence above our horizon. Some of 
our gentlemen, indeed, who ascended a high hill for the pur- 
pose, caught a glimpse of him on the 2nd of February; on the 
15th it became visible at the observatory, but at the ships not 
till the 22nd, after an absence of one hundred and twenty- 
one days. It is very long after the sun's reappearance in 
these regions, however, that the effect of his rays, as to 
warmth, becomes perceptible; week passes after week with 
scarcely any rise in the thermometer except for an hour or two 
during the day, and it is at this period more than any other, 
perhaps, that the lengthened duration of a polar winter's cold 
is most wearisome, and creates the most impatience. Towards 
the third week in March, thin flakes pf snow lying upon black 
painted wood or metal, and exposed to the sun's direct rays 
in a sheltered situation, readily melted. In the second week 
of April any very light covering of sand or. ashes upon the 
snow close to the ships might be observed to make its way 
downward into holes: but a coat of sand laid upon the un- 
sheltered ice, to the distance of about two-thirds of a mile, for 
dissolving a canal to hasten our liberation, produced no such 
sensible effect till the beginning of May. Even then the dis- 
solution was very trifling till about the first week in June, 
when pools of water began to make their appearance, and not 



80 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 

long after this a small boat would have floated down it. On 
shore the effect is in general still more tardy, though some 
deception is there occasioned by the dissolution of the snow 
next the ground, while its upper surface is to all appearance 
undergoing little or no change. Thus a greater alteration is 
sometimes produced in the aspect of the land by a single warm 
day in an advanced part of the season, than in many weeks 
preceding; in consequence of the last crust of snow being dis- 
solved, leaving the ground at length entirely bare. We could 
now perceive the snow beginning to leave the stones from 
day to day, as early as the last week in April. Towards the 
end of May a great deal of snow was dissolved daily, but owing 
to the porous nature of the ground which absorbed it as fast as 
it was formed, it was not easy to procure water for drinking 
on shore, even as late as the 10th of June. In the ravines, 
however, it could be heard trickling under stones before that 
time, and about the 18th many considerable streams were form- 
ed, and constantly running both night and day. After this, the 
thawing proceeded at an inconceivably rapid rate, the whole 
surface of the floes being covered with large pools of water 
rapidly increasing in size and depth. 

We observed nothing extraordinary with respect to the 
sun's light about the shortest day; but as early as the 20th of 
November Arcturus could very plainly be distinguished by 
the naked eye, when near the south meridian at noon. About 
the first week in April the reflection of light from the snow 
became so strong as to create inflammation in the eyes, and 
notwithstanding the usual precaution of wearing black crape 
veils during exposure, several cases of snow-blindness occurred 
shortly afterwards. 

During this, as in each preceding winter passed in the polar 
regions, we failed to obtain, even in the severest cold, any 
absolute hygrometrical expression for the state of the atmo- 
sphere, although we had now the advantage of being furnished 
with the excellent hygrometers on Mr. Daniell's construction. 
By the experiments given in the Meteorological Abstracts, it 



OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 81 

appears that, below an atmospheric temperature of -f 6°, we 
failed in obtaining any deposit upon the bulb of the instru- 
ment, though on some occasions the ether was frozen in the 
attempt On several days during the winter, a haze, or more 
properly a fog, occurred, of such density as to obscure objects 
at the distance of a quarter of a mile, when there was no per- 
ceptible fall or drift of snow to have occasioned this appear- 
ance. It always happened, indeed, during serene weather, 
and generally consisted only of a stratum reaching one or two 
hundred feet above the sea, over which we could see from the 
observatory, while it seemed to occupy the whole of the har- 
bour below. That the atmosphere was extremely dry, how- 
ever, during the winter, appears probable from the circum- 
stance noticed on the former voyages, of ropes becoming quite 
slack by an increase, or rather by a continuance of cold. For 
instance, a worn whale-line sixteen hundred and forty-four 
feet in length, being stretched quite tight between the Hecla 
and the shore, for the purpose of marking the road in dark 
weather or snow-drift, relaxed so much during the coldest 
months, that forty-nine feet were hauled in from time to time, 
to keep it in its place upon the snow-pillars by which it was 
supported. I have already noticed the readiness with which 
electricity was excited by a very small machine, a facility 
which the medical gentlemen attributed to the dryness of the 
atmosphere. It would also appear that something like evapo- 
ration is going on, from the fact repeatedly noticed even in 
the most severe part of the season, that a brass instrument en- 
tirely sheltered from the wind may one day be seen covered 
with numberless minute snow-crystals adhering firmly to the 
metal, and the next perfectly clean and bright, without any 
possible assistance from wind, or artificial heat. The same 
thing sometimes occurs also with the thin film of ice which 
collects upon the eye-glass of a telescope, occasioned by the 
vapour of the body. The drying of our washed clothes in 
the open air could be performed in part, for the first time, 
about the beginning of April, by hanging them against a shel- 

11 



82 THIRD VOYAGE FOE THE DISCOVERY 

tered snow-wall facing the south, and having a black painted 
canvas cloth suspended along it. 

There was no want of well-defined clouds this winter; 
these were almost entirely of the kind called cirro-stratus r or 
approaching to that modification. Cumuli and cirro-cumuli 
occurred only with the advance of spring. The sky in this 
respect differed from that of our winter at Melville Island, and 
also from those at Winter Island and Igloolik, clouds occurring 
much more frequently than at the former, and more rarely 
than at the two latter stations. This difference seems to have 
coincided nearly with the state of the sea in the offing at each 
wintering-place, clouds occurring with more frequency in 
proportion to the extent of open water in our neighbourhood. 
At Port Bowen we had occasionally lanes of clear water in 
the offing as late as the 22nd of January, and the ice could be 
heard in motion till the 11th of February, but the water was 
of small extent after the first month subsequent to our arrival 
in winter-quarters. The occasional occurrence of fog, and 
the appearance of a dark water-sky to the northward, fre- 
quently observed from the hills during the winter, render it 
extremely probable that Barrow's Strait was never entirely 
closed, — a probability confirmed by the appearance of it at 
all times of the year in which it is accessible by ships. 

There are perhaps few things more difficult to obtain than a 
comparative measure of the quantity of snow that falls at dif- 
ferent places, owing to the facility with which the wind blows 
it off a smooth surface, such as a floe of level ice, and the col- 
lection occasioned by drift in consequence of the smallest ob- 
struction.* Thus, its mean depth at Port Bowen, measured 

* If even a fair measure of the depth could be obtained, it would not im- 
mediately determine the comparative quantity ,- for a cubic foot of snow so 
minute as that which falls in high latitudes, and in the compact state in 
which it lies upon the ground, would probably weigh much more, and pro- 
duce a great deal more water, than the same measure in a less severe cli- 
mate, where it usually falls in larger flakes. The weight of a cubic foot 



OP A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 83 

in twenty different places on the smooth ice of the harbour, 
was three inches on the 5th of April, and on the 1st of May 
it had only increased to four and a half inches, while an im- 
mense bank fourteen feet deep had formed on one side of the 
Hecla, occasioned by the heavy drifts. The crystals were, as 
usual, extremely minute during the continuance of the cold 
weather, and more or less of these were always falling, even 
on the clearest days. 

Lieutenant Ross tried the thickness of the salt-water ice 
during different periods of the winter, by digging holes in 
that formed upon the canal by which the ships had entered, 
and found it to have increased in the following ratio: — 





Whole thickness 


, Thickness 


Proportion of that ahove 


Date. 




in inches. 


ahove the sea 
in inches. 


to that below, the latter 
being=100. 


November 20th, 


1824, 


. 30.5 . 


. 3.8 . 


. . 14.23 


December 13th, 


— 


. 38.5 . 


. 4.4 . 


. . 12.90 


January 1st, 


1825, 


* 45.3 . 


. 5.2 . 


. . 12.97 


February 2nd, 


— 


. 55.9 . 


. 6 . . 


. . 12.02 


March 2nd, 


— 








April 2nd, 


— 


. 82.5 . 


. 7.8 . 


. . 10.44 


May 4th, 


— 


. 86.5 . 


. 8 . . 


. . 10.19 • 



The animals seen at Port Bowen may now be briefly no- 
ticed. The principal of these seen during the winter were 
bears, of which we killed twelve from October to June, being 
more than during all the other voyages taken together; and seve- 
ral others were seen. One of these animals was near proving 
fatal to a seaman of the Fury, who having straggled from his 
companions when at the top of a high hill, saw a large bear 
coming towards him. Being unarmed, he prudently made 
off, taking off his boots to enable him to run the faster, but 
not so prudently precipitated himself over an almost perpen- 
dicular cliff, down which he was said to have rolled or fallen 

of snow at Port Bowen, dug out of a drift, and weighed by Mr. Rowland, 
was thirty pounds, being the mean of several experiments, all agreeing very 
nearly. 



84 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 

several hundred feet; here he was met by some of the people 
in so lacerated a condition, as to be in„<a very dangerous state 
for some time after.* [^ f 

A she-bear killed in the opOBW-ater on our first arrival at 
Port Bowen, afforded a striking instance of maternal affection 
in her anxiety to save her two cubs. She might herself easily 
have escaped the boat, but would not forsake her young, which 
she was actually "towing" off, by allowing them to rest on 
her back, when the boat came near them. A second similar 
instance occurred in the spring, when two cubs having got 
down into a large crack in the ice, their mother placed herself 
before them, so as to secure them from the attacks of our 
people, which she might easily have avoided herself. 

This unusual supply of bear's flesh was particularly service- 
able, as food for the Esquimaux dogs we had brought out, and 
which were always at work in a sledge; especially as, during 
the winter, our number was increased by the birth of six others 
of these useful animals. 

One or two foxes (Canis Lagopus) were killed, and four 
caught in traps during the winter, weighing from four pounds 
and three-quarters to three pounds and three-quarters. The 
colour of one of these animals, which lived for some time on 
board the Fury and became tolerably tame, was nearly pure 
white till the month of May, when he shed his winter-coat, 
and became of a dirty chocolate colour, with two or three 
light-brown spots. Only three hares ( Lepus Variabilis) 
were killed from October to June, weighing from six to eight 
pounds and three-quarters. Their fur was extremely thick, 
soft, and of the most beautiful whiteness imaginable. We 
j saw no deer near Port Bowen at any season, neither were we 
/ visited by their enemies the wolves. A single ermine and 
a few mice (Mus Hudsonius), complete, I believe, our 
scanty list of quadrupeds at this desolate and unproductive place. 

* The men applying his name to the hill, called it Mount Cotterell, by 
which it is distinguished in the chart, for the sake of reference in our mea- 
surement of its heisrht. 



OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 85 

Of birds, we had a flock or two of ducks occasionally fly- 
ing about the small lanes of open water in the offing, as late 
as the third of October: but none from that time till the 
beginning of June, and then only a single pair was occasion- 
ally seen. A very few grouse were met with also after our 
arrival at Port Bowen; a single specimen was obtained on the 
23rd of December, and another on the 18th of February. 
They again made their appearance towards the end of March, 
and in less than a month about two hundred were killed; after 
which we scarcely saw another, for what reason we could not 
conjecture, except that they might probably be on their way 
to the northward, and that the utter barrenness of the land 
about Port Bowen afforded no inducement for their remaining 
in our neighbourhood. 

Lieutenant Ross, who paid great attention to ornithology, 
and who has himself drawn up the zoological notice given in 
the Appendix, remarked that the grouse met with here are of 
three kinds, namely the ptarmigan (Tetrao Lagopus), the 
rock-grouse (Tetrao RupestrisJ, and the willow-partridge 
(Tetrao JllbusJ. Of these only the two former were seen 
in the spring, and by far the greater number killed were of 
the first-mentioned species. They usually had in their maws 
the leaves of the Dry as Integrifolia, buds of the Saxifraga 
Oppositifolia, Salix Jlrctica, and Draba Jllpina, the quanti- 
ties being according to the order in which the plants have here 
been named. A few leaves, also, of the Polygonum Vivipa- 
rum were found in one or two specimens. The snow-bunting, 
with its sprightly note, was, as usual, one of our earliest vi- 
sitants in the spring; but these were few in number, and re- 
mained only a short time. A very few sandpipers were also 
seen, and now and then one or two glaucous, ivory, and kitti- 
wake gulls. A pair of ravens appeared occasionally during 
the whole winter here, as at most of our former winter sta- 
tions. 

The following temperatures of animals, mostly killed during 
the winter, were furnished me by Mr. Mogg, by whom and 
Lieutenant Ross they were taken. 



86 



THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 











Temperature of ttc 




Date. 




Aniffltilsr 


. , , A 












i 
Animal. 


Air. 


October 


irth, 


1824 


. Arctic Fox . . 


+ 105° 


+19° 


Novembei 


9th, 


— 


ditto . . 


106 . 


+ 7 


January 


4th, 


1825 


ditto . . 


104 


—28 


March 


27th, 


— 


. Ptarmigan . 


102 


. —11 


April 


4th, 


— 


. ditto . . 


102 


—15 


»» 


6th, 


— 


ditto . . 


102 


. —19 


» 


14th, 


— 


ditto , . 


102 


. - 6 


» 


» 


— 


ditto . . 


102 


— 6 


» 


16th, 


— 


White Bear 


100 


+11 


jj 


)> 


— 


ditto . . 


99 


+11 


» 


29th, 


— 


ditto . . 


99.5 


— 1 


June 


21st, 


— . . 


Glaucous Gull . 


100 . 


+37 



With a view to extend our geographical knowledge as much 
as our means permitted, three land journies were undertaken 
as soon as the weather was sufficiently warm for procuring 
any water. The first party, consisting of six men under 
Captain Hoppner, were instructed to travel to the eastward, 
to endeavour to reach the sea in that direction, and to dis- 
cover the communication which probably exists there with 
Admiralty Inlet, so as to determine the extent of that portion 
of insular land on which Port Bowen is situated. They re- 
turned on the 14th, after a very fatiguing journey, and having 
with difficulty travelled a degree and three-quarters to the 
eastward of the ships, in latitude 73° 19', from which position 
no appearance of the sea could be perceived. Captain Hopp- 
ner described the ravines as extremely difficult to pass, many 
of them being four or five hundred feet deep and very pre- 
cipitous. These being numerous and running chiefly in a 
north and south direction, appearing to empty themselves 
into Jackson's Inlet, preclude the possibility of performing a 
quick journey to the eastward. During the whole fortnight's 
excursion, scarcely a patch of vegetation could be seen. In- 
deed, the hills were so covered in most parts with soft and 
deep snow, that a spot could seldom be found on which to 
pitch their tent. A few snow-buntings and some ivory-gulls 



OP A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 87 

were all the' animals they met with, to enliven this most bar- 
ren and desolate country; and nothing was observed in the 
geological character differing from that about Port Bowen. 

In the bed of one of the ravines, Captain Hoppner noticed 
some immense masses of rock, thirty Or forty tons in weight, 
which had recently fallen from above, and he also passed 
over several avalanches of snow piled to a vast height 
across it.* 

The two other parties, consisting of four men each, under 
the respective commands of Lieutenants Sherer and Ross, 
were directed to travel, the former to the southward, and the 
latte^rtb the northward, along the coast of Prince Regent's In- 
let, for the purpose of surveying it accurately, and of obtain- 
ing observations for the longitude and variation at the stations 
formerly visited by us on the 7th and 15th of August, 1819. 
I was also very anxious to ascertain the state of the ice to the 
northward, to enable me to form some judgment as to the pro- 
bable time of our liberation. 

These parties found the travelling along shore so good as to 
enable them, not only to reach those spots, but to extend their 
journies far beyond them. Lieutenant Ross returning on the 
15th, brought the welcome intelligence of the sea being per- 
fectly open and free from ice at the distance of twenty-two 
miles to the northward of Port Bowen, by which I concluded 
— what, indeed, had long before been a matter of probable 
conjecture — that Barrow's Strait was not permanently frozen 
during the winter. From the tops of the hills about Cape 
York, beyond which promontory Lieutenant Ross travelled, 
no appearance of ice could be distinguished. Innumerable 
ducks, chiefly of the king, eider, and long-tailed species, were 
flying about near the margin of the ice, besides dovekies, 
looms, and glaucous, kittiwake, and ivory gulls. Lieutenant 

* Captain Hoppner gave a very favourable report of a tent made of a 
patent cloth composed of two parts of cambric, with caoutchouc (elastic 
gum) between. It is the manufacture of Mr. Mackintosh, of Glasgow, and 
is quite impervious to water. 



88 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 

Sherer returned to the ships on the evening of the 15th, hav- 
ing performed a rapid journey as far as 72^°, and making an 
accurate survey of the whole coast to that distance. In the 
course of this journey a great many remains of Esquimaux 
habitations were seen, a'nd these were much more numerous, 
on the southern part of the coast. In a grave which Lieute- 
nant Sherer opened, in order to form some idea whether the 
Esquimaux had lately been here, he found the body apparent- 
ly quite fresh; but as this might, in a northern climate, remain 
the case for a number of years, and as our board erected in 
1819 was still standing untouched and in good order, it is cer- 
tain these people had not been here since our formed Visit. 
Less numerous traces of the Esquimaux, and of older date, 
occur near Port Bowen, and in Lieutenant Ross's route along 
shore to the northward, and a few of the remains of habitations 
were those used as winter residences. I have since regretted 
that Lieutenant Sherer was not furnished with more provisions 
and a larger party, to have enabled him to travel round Cape 
Kater, which is probably not far distant from some of the 
northern Esquimaux stations mentioned in my Journal of the 
preceding voyage. 

The longitudes observed by Lieutenants Sherer and Ross at 
the two stations laid down in 1819, by actual observation on 
the spot, were found to be from fourteen to seventeen minutes 
to the eastward of the positions assigned to them in the former 
chart. A difference of fourteen minutes the same way also 
occurs at Port Bowen; it is probable, therefore, that the whole 
of our former discoveries to the westward of Prince Regent's 
Inlet will be subject to a correction in the longitude of about 
fourteen or fifteen minutes. That this error does not extend 
to the eastern part of Barrow's Strait, appears certain from the 
near coincidence, already mentioned,* between our longitude 
observed on this voyage at Cape Warrender, and that in which 
it was placed in the survey of 1819. A corrected chart of the 

* Page 43. 



OP A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE." 89 

whole of Prince Regent's Inlet is now given, the eastern coast, 
from Cape York to Cape Kater, being constructed principally 
from the surveys made by Lieutenants Sherer and Ross, and 
the longitudes accurately deduced from the meridian of Port 
Bowen. 

The variation of the magnetic-needle now observed by our 
travellers, at the stations before visited in 1819, was found to 
have changed in the same way, though not precisely to the 
same amount, as at Port Bowen ; the observations of Lieute- 
nant Sherer giving, to the southward, an increase in that phe- 
nomenon, from 118° 24' to 123° 47'; and those of Lieutenant 
Ross, to the northward, from 115° 37' to 116° 52', the elapsed 
interval being nearly six years. These differences in the 
amount of change may in part be owing to the sluggish tra- 
versing of the compasses, and partly to the observations having 
been made at different times of day. 

The whole of the coast travelled over by our parties consists 
of secondary limestone; that to the southward becoming gradu- 
ally lower, and more shelving next the sea; but to the north- 
ward continuing generally high and precipitous. At a place 
near Cape York, Lieutenant Ross observed that the strata, 
which are chiefly horizontal, or nearly so, dipped to the N. 
W., at an angle of about ten degrees, the cliffs overhanging in 
a fearful manner at that part. In a mass of limestone recently 
fallen from the cliffs near the same spot, were also found some 
crystals of rhomb-spar, containing a portion of bitumen. 

As soon as the thermometer began permanently to keep up 
to the freezing point, the observatory was prepared for the 
reception of the clock and pendulum; and after trying various 
means of keeping up a regular temperature during the times 
of observation, the experiments were commenced towards the 
middle of June, and three series were completed by Lieutenant 
Foster before we went to sea. The result of these experi- 
ments, with some account of the method of conducting them? 
will be found in the Appendix. 

12 






90 THIRD VOYAGE 1'OR THE DISCOVERY 

The heights of two hills above the sea were measured tri- 
gonometrically and barometrically; and one of them (Mount 
Cotterell) was also accurately levelled, by way of comparing, 
though necessarily on a small scale, the results given by those 
three modes of measurement. * 

The great depth of water in which we lay at Port Bowen 
prevented our observing the rise and fall of the tides during 
the winter, by the usual method of a pole moored to the bot- 
tom. In the spring, however, when the fire-hole along-side 
the ship could be kept constantly open, we adopted another 
plan, which it may be useful to describe. A stone of about 
three hundred weight was let down the fire-hole to the bottom, 
having a whale-line attached to it. The line was rove through 
a block fixed to an outrigger from the ship's side, and to its 
other end was fastened a weight of fifty pounds. By this 
means, the line was kept quite tight, and a marked pole being 
attached to it, served to indicate with great accuracy the per- 
pendicular rise and fall of the water. The observations being 
given at length in the tide-table, I shall Only here mention the 
fact, that during nine weeks in the months of April, May, and 
June, the morning tides were found, almost invariably, to rise 
several inches higher than those of the evening. 

Towards the end of June, the dovekies ( Colymbus Grylle) 
were extremely numerous in the cracks of the ice at the en- 
trance of Port Bowen, and as these were the only fresh supply 
of any consequence that we were able to procure at this un- 
productive place, we were glad to permit the men to go out 
occasionally with guns, after the ships were ready for sea, to 
Obtain for their messes this wholesome change of diet; while 
such excursions also contributed essentially to their general 
health and cheerfulness, Many hundreds of these birds were 
thus obtained in the course of a few days. On the evening of 

* The height of Mount Cotterell, by trigonometrical operation, 701.460 ft. 
„ „ barometer „ 695.500 

„ ,, levelling „ 702.500 



OP A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 91 

the 6th of July, however, I was greatly shocked at being in- 
formed by Captain Hoppner that John Cotterell,'* a seaman of 
the Fury, had been found drowned in one of the cracks of the 
ice, by two other men belonging to the same party, who had 
been with him but a few minutes before. We could never 
ascertain precisely in what manner this accident happened, but 
it was supposed that he must have over-reached himself in 
stooping for a bird that he had killed. His remains were 
committed to the earth on Sunday the 10th, with every so- 
lemnity which the occasion demanded, and our situation would 
allow; and a tomb of stones, with a suitable inscription, was 
afterwards erected over the grave. 

In order to obtain oil for another winter's consumption, be- 
fore the ships could be released from the ice, and our travel- 
ling parties having seen a number of black whales in the open 
water to the northward, two boats from each ship were, with 
considerable labour, transported four miles along shore in that 
direction, to be in readiness for killing a whale and boiling 
the oil on the beach, whenever the open water should ap- 
proach sufficiently near. They took their station near a re- 
markable peninsular piece of land on the south side of the en- 
trance to Jackson's Inlet, which had, on the former voyage, 
been taken for an island. Notwithstanding these preparations, 
however, it was vexatious to find that on the 9th of July the 
water was still three miles distant from the boats, and at least 
seven from Port Bo wen. On the 12th, the ice in our neigh- 
bourhood began fo detach itself, and the boats under the com- 
mand of Lieutenants Sherer and Ross being launched on the 
following day, succeeded almost immediately in killing a 
small whale of " five feet bone," exactly answering our pur- 
pose. Almost at the same time, and as it turned out very op- 
portunely, the ice at the mouth of our harbour detached itself 

* It is remarkable that this poor man had, twice before, within the space 
of nine months, been very near death ; for, besides the accident already 
mentioned, of falling down the hill which bears his name, he was also in 
imminent danger of dying of dropsy during the winter. 



02 THIRD VOTAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 

at an old crack, and drifted off, leaving only about one mile 
and a quarter between us and the sea. Half of this distance 
being occupied by the gravelled canal, which was dissolved 
quite through the ice in many parts, and had become very 
thin in all, every officer and man in both ships were set to 
work without delay to commence a fresh canal from the open 
water, to communicate with the other. This work proved 
heavier than we expected, the ice being generally from five 
to eight feet, and in many places from ten to eleven, in thick- 
ness. It was continued, however, with the greatest cheerful- 
ness and alacrity from seven in the morning till seven in the 
evening daily, the dinner being prepared on the ice, and eaten 
under me lee of a studding sail erected as a tent. 

On the afternoon of the 19th, a very welcome stop was put to 
our operations by the separation of the floe entirely across the 
harbour, and about one-third from the ships to where we were 
at work. All hands being instantly recalled by signal were, 
on their return, set to work to get the ships into the gravelled 
canal, and to saw away what still remained in it to prevent 
our warping to sea. This work with only half an hour's in- 
termission for the men's supper was continued till half-past 
six the following morning, when we succeeded in getting 
clear. The weather being calm, two hours were occupied in 
towing the ships to sea, and thus the officers and men were 
employed at very laborious work for twenty-six hours, during 
which time there were, on one occasion, fifteen of them over- 
board at once; and indeed several individuals met with the 
same accident three times. It was impossible, however, to re- 
gret the necessity of these comparatively trifling exertions, 
especially as it was now evident that to have sawed our way 
out, without any canal, would have required at least a fort- 
night of heavy and fatiguing labour. 

Previously to commencing my journal pf our operations 
at sea, I shall here close our account of Port Bowen, in which 
we had been imprisoned between nine and ten months, with 
Dr. Neill's remarks on the geological character of this coast. 



OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 93 

and with an abstract of the most material nautical and other 
observations made during our stay there. 

" All the eastern shore of Prince Regent's Inlet which we 
had an opportunity of observing, is formed of secondary lime- 
stone, distinctly stratified in horizontal beds. The lowest 
Stratum is very soft and friable, of a dull yellow colour, and 
contains a large quantity of the fragments of shells of marine 
animals. Over this occur several strata more compact than 
the former, varying in colour from gray to black. These al- 
ternate with each other in long undulated streaks several hun- 
dred feet in length, varying in thickness from that of a line to 
several feet, and containing many bivalve shells, lepides, &c 
When struck with a hammer, the limestone emits a disagree- 
able smell, and it burns nearly snow white; by chemical tests, 
it was found to contain from twenty to thirty per cent, of car- 
bonate of magnesia, with a little sulphur and bitumen. Over 
this lies a stratum of a brick-red colour, more compact than 
the other, and hard enough to give sparks with steel; it con- 
tains a considerable proportion of siliceous earth, red oxide of 
iron, and carbonate of magne.sk. This stratum always ex- 
tends to the surface, and is fre .j^shtly from two to three hun- 
dred feet in thickness; from its superior hardness and dura- 
bility, it frequently overhangs the less compact subjacent 
strata. From its brick-like appearance, and being formed by 
the action of the weather into various romantic shapes, as of 
broken arches, decayed walls, niches, and turrets, it does not 
require any great fertility of imagination to trace in it the 
ruins of ancient castles, or stately palaces. 

1 'Extensive beds of coral and madrepore rise from un- I 
known depths to the summits of the highest hills, and inter- 
sect the before-mentioned strata. They occupy at their base / 
a space equal to the former, if not greater, but gradually nar- 7 
row towards their .summits, and have their sides pressed upon \ 
by the neighbouring strata. These beds contain caverns 
partly filled with broken shells, and fragments of madrepore 
and limestone cemented together by calcareous matter, their 



94 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 

walls being incrusted with well-formed crystals of calcareous 
spar, possessing little lustre or transparency, on account of the 
quantity of red oxide of iron they contain. The beds of ma- 
drepore, from their resisting the destroying effects of the 
weather better than the neighbouring strata, often reach a 
greater elevation, their flat tops being sometimes raised seven 
or eight hundred feet above the level of the sea. This circum- 
stance gives to the land a very rugged hilly appearance, when 
seen from a ship inshore, but it is very different at a distance 
in the offing, or a few miles inland, when the country appears 
as it really is, very level, but intersected by some deep pre- 
cipitous ravines. 

"The low ledges on the coast are strewed over with rolled 
masses of granite, gneiss, syenite, mica-slate, clay-slate, horn- 
blende-slate, and old red sandstone; the first three are very 
abundant, the others less frequent. They vary in size from 
that of pebbles to masses of several hundred tons in weight; 
by those who travelled inland, these were observed to be very 
few in number, quite small, and much rounded. It is more- 
over worthy of remark that these boulders were found only 
on the surface, not an instance having occurred of any being 
observed to protrude from the precipices or the sides of ra- 
vines; thus affording strong reason to conclude that they were 
brought from the westward^ subsequently to the formation of 
the present land, by a current of water, or some other unknown 
agent. 

"The limestone of Port # Bowen and its vicinity contains 
also vesicular quartz, flint, jasper, red and brown hematite, 
and Lydian-stone. Small pieces of black wood-stone and 
bituminous shale were found on the beach, the latter bearing 
the impression of the bark of one of the palm tribe." 

Mean latitude of the Observatory at Port Bowen,} o / // 
by 93 observations of the stars, with the repeating C 73 13 39.39 N. 
circle \ 



OP A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 



95 



C Six occultationsof fixed stars by the moon 

J Twenty-three transits of the moon . . 
Twenty-one eclipses of Jupiter's satellites 
Six. hundred and twenty lunar dis- 
ditto by 



lis-") 



6 

88 



tances {viz. 310 if. East, and 310 
West of the moon) .... 

w Nine chronometers T . 88 

Received longitude, being the Mean of the above . .* '. 88 

Mean dip of the magnetic needle ,88 

Mean variation of ditto \ *i23 

Mean time of high water on full and change days" . . 



Highest Spring-tide 
I-owest Neap-tide 



54 52.4 W. 

57 30.99 " 

52 08.85 " 

54 22.41 " 

55 08.1 " 
54 48.55 " 
01 23. N. 
21 55 W. 

llh. 12m. 



6ft. 
1 



4in. 
U. 



96 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 



CHAPTER V. 

SAIL OVER TOWARDS THE WESTERN COAST OP PRINCE RE- 

GENT'S INLET STOPPED BY THE ICE REACH THE SHORE 

ABOUT CAPE SEPPINGS FAVOURABLE PROGRESS ALONG 

THE LAND FRESH AND REPEATED OBSTRUCTIONS FROM 

ICE BOTH SHIPS DRIVEN ON SHORE FURY SERIOUSLY 

DAMAGED UNSUCCESSFUL SEARCH FOR A HARBOUR, FOR 

HEAVING HER DOWN TO REPAIR. 

On standing out to sea, we sailed, with a light southerly 
wind, towards the western shore of Prince Regent's Inlet, 
which it was my first wish to gain, on account of the evident 
advantage to be derived from coasting the southern part of 
that portion of land called in the chart " North Somerset," 
as far as it might lead to the westward; which, from our form- 
er knowledge, we had reason to suppose it would do as far at 
least as the longitude of 95°, in a parallel of about 72 %°. After 
sailing about eight miles, we were stopped by a body of close 
ice lying between us and a space of open water beyond. By 
way of occupying the time in further examination of the state 
of the ice, we then bore up with a light northerly wind, and 
ran to the south-eastward, to see if there was any clear water 
between the ice, and the land in that direction; but found that 
there was no opening between them to the southward of the 
flat-topped hill laid down in the chart, and now called Mount 
Sherer. Indeed, I believe that, at this time, the ice had not 
yet detached itself from the land to the southward of that sta- 
tion. On standing back, we were shortly after enveloped in 
one of the thick fogs which had, for several weeks past, been 
observed almost daily hanging over some part of the sea in 



- OP A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 97 

the offing, though we had scarcely experienced any in Port 
Bowen, until the water became open at the mouth of the 
harbour. 

On the clearing up of the fog on the 21st, we could per- 
ceive no opening of the ice leading towards the western land, 
nor any appearance of the smallest channel to the southward 
along the eastern shore. I was determined, therefore, to try 
at once a little further to the northward, the present state of 
the ice appearing completely to accord with that observed in 
1819, its breadth increasing as we advanced from Prince Leo- 
pold's Islands to the southward. As, therefore, I felt confi- 
dent of being able to push along the shore if we could once 
gain it, I was anxious to effect the latter object in any part, 
rather than incur the risk of hampering the ships by a vain, 
or at least a doubtful attempt to force them through a body of 
close ice several miles wide, for the sake of a few leagues of 
southing, which would soon be regained by coasting. 

Light winds detained us very much, but being at length 
favoured by a breeze, we carried all sail to the north-west, 
the ice very gradually leading us towards the Leopold Isles. 
Having arrived off the northernmost, on the morning of the 22nd, 
it was vexatious, however curious, to observe the exact coinci- 
dence of the present position of the ice with that which it occu- 
pied a little later in the yearl819. The whole body of it seemed 
to cling to the western shore, as if held there by some strong 
attraction, forbidding, for the present, any access to it. We 
now stood off and on, in the hope that a southerly breeze, 
which had just sprung up, might serve to open us a channel. 
In the evening, the wind gradually freshened, and before 
midnight had increased to a strong gale, which blew with con- 
siderable violence for ten hours, obliging us to haul off from 
the ice, and to keep in smooth water under the eastern land 
until it abated; after which not a moment was lost in again 
standing over to the westward. After running all night, with 
light and variable winds, through loose and scattered ice, we 
suddenly found ourselves, on the clearing up of a thick fog 

13 



98 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERT 

through which we had been sailing on the morning of the 
24th, within one-third of a mile of Cape Seppings, the land 
just appearing above the fog in time to save us from danger, 
the soundings being thirty-eight fathoms, on a rocky bottom. 
The Fury being apprised by guns of our situation, both ships 
were hauled off the land, and the fog soon after dispersing, we 
had the satisfaction to perceive that the late gale had blown 
the ice off the land, leaving us a fine navigable channel from 
one to two miles wide, as far as we could see from the mast- 
head along the shore. We were able to avail ourselves of this 
but slowly, however, in consequence of a light southerly 
breeze still blowing against us. 

We had now an opportunity of discovering that a long neck 
of very low land runs out from the southernmost of the Leo- 
pold Islands, and another from the shore to the southward of 
Cape Clarence. These two had every appearance of joining, 
so as to make a peninsula, instead of an island, of that portion 
of land which, on account of our distance preventing our seeing 
the low beach, had in 1819 been considered under the latter 
character. It is, however, still somewhat doubtful, and the 
Leopold Isles, therefore, still retain their original designation 
on the chart. The land here, when closely viewed, assumes 
a very striking and magnificent character, the strata of lime- 
stone, which are numerous and quite horizontally disposed, 
being much more regular than on the eastern shore of Prince 
Regent's Inlet, and retaining nearly their whole perpendicular 
height, of six or seven hundred feet, close to the sea. The 
south-eastern promontory of the southernmost Island is par- 
ticularly picturesque and beautiful, the heaps of loose debris 
lying here and there up and down the sides of the cliff giving 
it the appearance of some huge and impregnable fortress, with 
immense, buttresses of masonry supporting the walls. Near 
Cape Seppings, and some distance beyond it to the south- 
ward, we noticed a narrow stratum of some very white sub- 
stance, the nature of which we could not at this time conjec- 
ture. I may here remark that the whole of Barrow's Strait 



OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 99 

as far as we could see to the N.N.E. of the islands, was en- 
tirely free from ice; and, from whatever circumstance it may 
proceed, I do not think that this part of the Polar Sea is at 
any season very much encumbered with it. 

It was the general feeling, at this period, among us, that 
the voyage had but now commenced. The labours of a bad 
summer, and the tedium of a long winter, were forgotten 
in a moment, when we found ourselves upon ground not 
hitherto explored, and with every apparent prospect before 
us of making as rapid a progress as the nature of this navi- 
gation will permit, towards the final accomplishment of our 
object. 

Early on the morning of the 25th, we passed the opening 
in the land delineated in the former chart of this coast, in lati- 
tude 73° 34', which we now found to be a bay about three 
miles deep, but apparently open to the sea. I named it after my 
friend Hastings Elwin, Esq., of Bristol, as a token of grateful 
esteem for that gentleman. The wind falling very light, so that 
the ships made no progress, I took the opportunity of landing 
in the forenoon, accompanied by a party of the officers, and 
was soon after joined by Captain Hoppner. We found the 
formation to consist wholly of lime, and now discovered the 
nature of the narrow white stratum observed the day before 
from the oiling, and which proved to be gypsum, mostly of the 
earthy kind, and some of it of a very pure white. A part of 
the rock near our landingrplace contained a quantity of it in 
the state of selenite in beautiful transparent laminae of a large 
size. The abundance of gypsum hereabouts explained also 
the extreme whiteness of the water near the whole of this part 
of the coast, which had always been observed in approaching 
it, and which had at first excited unnecessary apprehensions as 
to the soundings along the shore. This colour is more particu- 
larly seen near the mouths of the streams, many of which are 
quite of a dirty milk colour, and tinge the sea to the distance 
of more than a mile, without any alteration in the depth, except 
a gradual diminution in going in. The vegetation in this 



100 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 

place was, as usual, extremely scanty, though much more 
luxuriant than on any of the land near our winter-quarters, and 
no animals were seen. The latitude of our landing-place 
was 73° 27' 23", the longitude by chronometers 90° 50' 34 ".6, 
and the variation of the magnetic needle 125° 34' 42" west- 
erly. From half-past nine a.m. till a quarter past noon, 
the tide fell two feet three inches; and as.it was nearly sta- 
tionary at the latter time, it was probably near low-water. 

A breeze enabling us again to make some progress, and an 
open channel still favouring us, of nearly the same breadth as 
before, we passed during the night a second bay, about the 
same size as the other, and also appearing open to the sea; it 
lies in latitude (by account from the preceding and following 
noon) 73° 19' 30", and its width is one mile and a half. It was 
called Batty Bay, after my friend Captain Robert Batty, 
of the Grenadier Guards. We now perceived that the ice 
closed completely in with the land a short distance beyond us, 
and having made all the way we could, were obliged to stand 
off and on during the day in a channel not three-quarters of a 
mile wide. This channel being still more contracted towards 
the evening, we were obliged to make fast to some grounded 
land-ice upon the beach, in four fathoms' water, there to await 
some change in our favour. We here observed traces of our 
old friends the Esquimaux, there being several of their circles 
of stones, though not of recent date, close to the sea. We also 
found a more abundant vegetation than before; and several 
plants familiar to us on the former voyages, but not yet pro- 
cured on this, were now added to our collections. The geolo- 
gical character of the land was nearly the same as before, but 
we found here some gypsum of the fibrous kind, occurring in 
a single stratum about an inch and a half wide. About a mile 
to the north of us was a curious cascade or spout of water, issu- 
ing from a chasm in the rock, and falling more than two hun- 
dred feet perpendicular. Our gentlemen, who visited the 
spot, described it as rendered the more picturesque by innu- 
merable kittiwakes having their nests among the rocks, and 



OP A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 10$ 

constantly flying about the stream. The latitude was 73° 06' 
17"; the longitude by chronometers 91° 19' 52". 3; the dip of 
the magnetic needle 88° 02'.1; and the variation 128° 23' 17" 
westerly. 

The ice opening in the afternoon of the 27th, we cast off 
and run four or five miles with a northerly breeze. This wind, 
however, always had the effect of making the ice close the 
shore, while a southerly breeze as uniformly opened it, so 
that on this coast, as on several others that I have known, 
a contrary wind — however great the paradox may seem — 
proved, on the whole, the most favourable for making progress. 
This circumstance is simply to be attributed to the greater 
abundance of open water in the parts we have left behind (in 
the present instance the open sea of Barrow's Strait) than 
those towards which we are going. We were once more 
obliged to make fast, therefore, to some grounded ice close to 
the beach, rather than run any risk of hampering the ships, 
and rendering them unable to take advantage of a change in 
our favour. 

A light southerly breeze on the morning of the 28th gradu- 
ally cleared the shore, and a fresh wind from the N.W. then 
immediately succeeded. We instantly took advantage of this 
circumstance, and casting off at six a.m. ran eight or nine miles 
without obstruction, when we were stopped by the ice, which . 
in a closely packed and impenetrable body, stretched close 
into the shore, as far as the eye could reach from the crow's 
nest. Being anxious to gain every foot of distance that we 
could, and perceiving some grounded ice which appeared fa- 
vourable for making fast to, just at a point where the clear 
water terminated, the ships were run to the utmost extent of 
it, and a boat prepared from each to examine the depth of water 
at the intended anchoring place. Just as I was about to leave 
the Hecla for that purpose, the ice was observed to be in rapid 
motion towards the shore. The Fury was immediately hauled 
in by some grounded masses, and placed to the best advantage: 
but the Hecla being more advanced was immediately beset in 






102 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 

spite of every exertion, and after breaking two of the largest 
ice-anchors in endeavouring to heave in to the shore, was 
obliged to drift with the ice, several masses of which had for- 
tunately interposed themselves between us and the land. The 
ice slackening around us a little in the evening, we were ena- 
bled, with considerable labour, to get to some grounded masses, 
where we lay much exposed, as the Fury also did. In this 
situation, our latitude being 72° 51' 51", we saw a compara- 
tively low point of land three or four leagues to the southward, 
which proved to be near that which terminated our view of 
this coast in 1819. 

On the 29th, the ice being slack for a short distance, we 
shifted the Hecla half a mile to the northward, into a less in- 
secure birth. I then walked to a broad valley facing the sea 
near us, where a considerable stream cTischarged itself, and 
where, in passing in the ships, a large fish had been observed 
to jump out of the water. In hopes of finding salmon here, 
we tried for some time with several hand-nets, but nothing was 
caught or seen. In this place were a number of the Esqui- 
maux stone circles, apparently of very old date, being quite 
overgrown with grass, moss, and other plants. In the neigh- 
bourhood of these habitations, the vegetation was much more 
luxuriant than anything of the kind we had seen before during 
this voyage. The state of this year's plants was now very 
striking, compared with those of the last, and afforded strong 
evidence, if any had been wanting, of the difference between 
the two seasons. I was particularly struck with the appear- 
ance of some moss collected by Mr. Hooper, who pointed out 
to me upon the same specimen the last year's miserable seeds just 
peeping above the leaves, while those of the present summer 
had already shot three-quarters of an inch beyond them. Ano- 
ther circumstance which we noticed about this time, and still 
more so as the season advanced, was the rapid progress 
which the warmth had already made in dissolving the last 
year's snow, this being always easily known by its dingy 
colour, and its, admixture with the soil. Of the past win- 



OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 103 

ter's snow not a particle could be seen, at the close of July, 
on any part of this coast. These facts, together with the 
beautiful weather we had enjoyed for many weeks past, all 
tended to shew that we were now favoured with an unusually 
fine summer. We found in this place, in the dry bed of an 
old stream, innumerable fossils in the limestone, principally 
shells and madrepore. On a hill abreast of the Hecla, and at 
an elevation of not less than three or foux.^iuiadred feet 
above the sea, one particular spot was discovered, in which 
the same kind of shells first found in Barrow's Strait in 1819, 
occurred in very great abundance and perfection, wholly 
detached from the lime in which, for the most part, they were 
found imbedded in other places on this coast. Indeed it was quite 
astonishing, in looking at the numberless fossil animal remains 
occurring in many of the stones, to consider the countless 
myriads of shell-fish and marine insects which must once have 
existed on this shore. The cliffs next the sea, which here rise 
to a perpendicular height of between four and five hundred 
feet, were continually breaking down at this season, and add- 
ing, by falls of large masses of stone, to the slope of debris 
lying at their foot. The ships lay so close to the shore as to be 
almost within the range of some of these tumbling masses, 
there being at high water scarcely beach enough for a person 
to walk along the shore. The time of high water, near the 
opposition of the moon this night, was between half-past eleven 
and midnight, being nearly the same as at Port Bowen at full 
and change. 

The ice opening for a mile and a half alongshore on the 
30th, we shifted the Hecla's birth about that distance to the 
southward, chiefly to be enabled to see more distinctly round 
a point which before obstructed our view, though our situa- 
tion, as regarded the security of the ship, was much altered 
for the worse. The Fury remained where she was, there 
being no second birth even so good as the bad one where she 
was now lying. In the afternoon it blew a hard gale, with 
constant rain, from the northward, the clouds indicating an 



104 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 

easterly wind in other parts. This wind, which was always 
the troublesome one to us, soon brought the ice closer and 
closer, till it pressed with very considerable violence on both 
ships, though the most upon the Fury, which lay in a very 
exposed situation. The Hecla received no damage but the 
breaking of two or three hawsers, and a part of her bulwark 
torn away by the strain upon them. In the course of the 
night we had reason to suppose, by the Fury's heeling, that 
she was either on shore, or still heavily pressed by the ice 
from without. Early on the morning of the 31st, as soon as 
a communication could be effected, Captain Hoppner sent to 
inform me that the Fury had been forced on the ground, 
where she still lay; but that she would probably be hove off 
without much difficulty at high water, provided the external 
ice did not prevent it. I also learned from Captain Hoppner 
that a part of one of the propelling wheels had been destroyed, 
the chock through which its axis passed being forced in con- 
siderably, and the palm broken off one of the bower anchors. 
Most of this damage, however, was either of no very material 
importance, or could easily be repaired. A large party of 
hands from the Hecla being sent round to the Fury towards 
high water, she came off the ground with very little strain, so 
that, upon the whole, considering the situation in which the 
ships were lying, we thought ourselves fortunate in having in- 
curred no very serious injury. The Fury was shifted a few 
yards into the best place that could be found, and the wind 
again blowing strong from the northward, the ice remained 
close about us. A shift of wind to the southward in the after- 
noon at length began gradually to slacken it, but it was not till 
six a.m. on the 1st of August that there appeared a prospect 
of making any progress. There was, at this time, a great 
deal of water to the southward, but between us and the chan- 
nel there lay one narrow and not very close stream of ice 
touching the shore. A shift of wind to the northward deter- 
mined me at once to take advantage of it, as nothing but a 
free wind seemed requisite to enable us to reach this promis- 



OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 105 

ing channel. The signal to that effect was immediately made, 
i)ut while the sails were setting, the ice, which had at first 
•been about three-quarters of a mile distant from us, was ob- 
served to be closing the shore. The ships were cast with all 
expedition, in hopes of gaining the broader channel before the 
ice had time to shut us up. So rapid, however, was the lat- 
ter in this its sudden movement, that we had but just got the 
ships' heads the right way, when the ice came bodily in upon 
us, being doubtless set in motion by a very sudden freshening 
of the wind almost to a gale in the course of a few minutes. 
The ships were now almost instantly .beset, and in such a man- 
ner as to be literally helpless and unmanageable. In such 
cases, it must be confessed that the exertions made by heaving 
at hawsers or otherwise are of little more service, than in the 
occupation they furnish to the men's minds under circum- 
stances of difficulty; for when the ice is fairly acting against 
the ship, ten times the strength and ingenuity could in reality 
avail nothing. 

The sails were, however, kept set, and as the body of ice 
was setting to the southward withal, we went with it some 
little distance in that direction. The Hecla, after thus driving, 
and now and then forcing her way through the ice, in all 
about three-quarters of a mile, quite close to the shore, at 
length struck the ground forcibly several times in the space 
of a hundred yards, and being then brought up by it, remained 
immoveable, the depth of water under her keel abaft being 
sixteen feet, or about a foot less than she drew. The Fury 
continuing to drive was now irresistibly carried past us, and 
we escapedj only by a few feet, the damage invariably occa- 
sioned by ships coming in contact under such circumstances. 
She had however scarcely past us a hundred yards, when it 
was evident, by the ice pressing her in, as Well as along the 
shore, that she must soon be stopped like the Hecla; and 
having gone about two hundred yards further she was ob- 
served to receive a severe pressure from a large floe-piece 
forcing her directly against a grounded mass of ice upon the 

14 



IOC THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DloCOVERV 

beach. After setting to the southward for an hour- or two 
longer, the ice became stationary, no open water being any- 
where visible from the mast-head, and the pressure on the 
ships remaining undiminished during the day. Just as I had 
ascertained the utter impossibility of moving the Hecla a sin- 
gle foot, and that she must lie quite aground fore and aft as 
soon as the tide fell, I received a note from Captain Hoppner 
informing me that the Fury had been so severely " nipped" 
and strained as to leak a good deal, apparently about four 
inches an hour; that she was still heavily pressed both upon 
the ground and against the large mass of ice within her; that 
the rudder was at present very awkwardly situated; and that 
one boat had been much damaged. As the tide fell, the Fury's 
stern which was aground was lifted several feet, and the He- 
cla, at low water, having sewed five feet forward and two 
abaft, we presented altogether no very pleasing or comfortable 
spectacle. However, about high water, the ice very oppor- 
tunely slacking, the Hecla was hove off with great ease, and 
warped to a floe in the offing to which we made fast at mid- 
night. The Fury was not long after us in coming off the 
ground, when I was in hopes of finding that any twist or 
strain by which her leaks might have been occasioned, would, 
in some measure, have closed when she was relieved from 
pressure and once more fairly afloat. My disappointment and 
mortification, therefore, may in some measure be imagined, 
at being informed by telegraph, about two a.m. on the 2nd, 
that the water was gaining on two pumps, and that a part of 
the doubling had floated up. The Hecla having, in the mean 
time, been carried two or three miles to the southward, by 
the ice which was once more driving in that direction, I di- 
rected Captain Hoppner by signal to endeavour to reach the 
best security inshore which the present slackness of the ice 
might permit, until it was possible for the Hecla to rejoin 
him. Presently after, perceiving from the mast-head some- 
thing like a small harbour nearly abreast of us, every effort 
was made to get once more towards the shore. In this the 



OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 107 

ice happily favoured us, and after making sail, and one or two 
tacks, we got in with the land, when I left the ship in a boat 
to sound the place, and search for shelter. I soon had the 
mortification to find that the harbour which had appeared to 
present itself so opportunely, had not more than six or seven 
feet of water in any part of it, the whole of its defences being 
composed of the stones and soil washed down by a stream 
which here emptied itself into the sea. From this place, in- 
deed, where the land gradually became much lower in ad* 
vancing to the southward, the whole nature of the soundings 
entirely altered, the water gradually shoaling in approaching 
the beach, so that the ships could scarcely come nearer in 
most parts than a quarter of a mile. At this distance, the 
whole shore was more or less lined with grounded masses of 
ice; but after examining the soundings within more than 
twenty of them, in the space of about a mile, I could only 
find two that would allow the ships to float at low water, and 
that by some care in placing and keeping them there. Having 
fixed a flag on each berg, the usual signal for the ships taking 
their stations, I rowed on board the Fury, and found four 
pumps constantly going, to keep the ship free, and Captain 
Hoppner, his officers and men, almost exhausted with the in- 
cessant labour of the last eight and forty hours. The instant 
the ships were made fast, Captain Hoppner and myself set out 
in a boat to survey the shore still further south, there being a 
narrow lane of water about a mile in that direction ; for it had 
now become too evident, however unwilling we might have 
been at first to admit the conclusion, that the Fury could pro- 
ceed no further without repairs, and that the nature of those 
repairs would in all probability involve the disagreeable, I 
may say "the ruinous, necessity of heaving the ship down. 
After rowing about three-quarters of a mile, we considered 
ourselves fortunate in arriving at a bolder part of the beach, 
where three grounded masses of ice, having from three to 
four fathoms water at low tide within them, were so disposed 
as to afford, with the assistance of art, something like shelter. 



108 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERT 

Wild and insecure as, under other circumstances, such a place 
would have been thought, for the purpose of heaving a ship 
down, we had no alternative, and therefore as little occasion 
as we had time for deliberation. Returning to the ships, we 
were setting the sails in order to run to the appointed place, 
when the ice closed in and prevented our moving, and in a 
short time there was once more no open water to be seen. We 
were, therefore, under the necessity of remaining in our pre- 
sent births, where the smallest external pressure must inevita- 
bly force us ashore, neither ship having more than two feet of 
water to spare. One watch of the Hecla's crew were sent 
round to assist at the Fury's pumps, which required one- 
third of her ship's company to be constantly employed at 
them. 

I now received from Captain Hoppner the following more 
detailed account of the Fury's accident, which it is proper for 
me here to record. 

" We had scarcely driven clear of the Hecla at 10.30. a.m. 
on the 1st, before a heavy floe-piece pressed against our lar- 
board quarter, and forced the ship against a high mass of 
—ounded ice which threatened to tear everything away. The 
p received so severe a "nip," that she trembled violently, 
ilst the beams and timbers cracked, and a crash like the 
report of a musket was heard under the larboard quarter by 
two or three persons who chanced to be below. The rudder 
was forced hard over to starboard, and but very little more 
pressure seemed requisite to tear it from the stern-post. Find- 
ing, after a short time, that the ice did not ease again outside 
of us, everybody was employed in securing the boats and an- 
chors, which had already suffered materially, and had nar- 
rowly escaped being torn to pieces in passing the high ice. 
While we were thus employed, the carpenter reported the 
ship to be making water rapidly. From a wish not to create 
any unnecessary sensation, and to make our situation appear 
as favourable as possible, it was at first treated lightly, and 
the pumps not set to work till after dinner, when the water 



OP A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 109 

had risen to four feet in the well, and after trying one and 
two of the pumps, it was found necessary to set all four to 
work to keep her free, it being computed that she made about 
three feet per hour. 

ff At the time we were first driven in, it wanted about an 
hour of high-water, and the ship had then barely her draught 
of water abaft; so that when the tide fell she sewed more than 
six feet abaft, whilst her bow, which was very much depressed, 
just took the ground. As it seemed probable that the same floe- 
piece which had caused all the injury, might assist to drag us off 
when it again set from the land, the stream-cable and a six- 
inch hawser were secured to it; but unfortunately it began 
moving about low water, and the ship being too firmly fixed, the 
ropes broke after bearing a heavy strain. It was not until mid- 
night that the ship floated, when we hove off, and were again 
driven to the southward amongst the body of ice; all our ex- 
ertions being directed to getting hold of a large piece outside 
with the hope that it would drag us off the land. This, how- 
ever, we were unable to effect; and were in momentary ex- 
pectation of again driving on shore. The Hecla was now 
driving fast from us, and as our people were nearly exhausted, 
I communicated our, situation to Captain Parry by signal; and 
a breeze springing up soon after from the land, opened the 
ice sufficiently to enable the ships to join." 

The ice coming in with considerable violence on the night 
of the 2nd, once more forced the Fury on shore, so that at 
low water she sewed two feet and a half. Nothing but the 
number and strength of the Hecla's hawsers prevented her 
sharing the same fate, for the pressure was just as much as 
seven of these of six inches, and two stream-cables, would 
bear. The Fury floated in the morning, and was enabled to 
haul off a little, but there was no opening of the ice to allow 
us to move to our intended station. The more leisure we ob- 
tained to consider the state of the Fury, the more apparent 
became the absolute, however unfortunate, necessity of heav- 
ing her down. * Four pumps were required to be at wor' 



110 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 

without intermission, to keep her free, and this in perfectly 
smooth water, shewing that she was in fact so materially in- 
jured as to be very far from sea-worthy. One-third of her 
working men were constantly employed, as before remarked, 
in this laborious operation, and some of their hands had be- 
come so sore from the constant friction of the ropes, that they 
could hardly handle them any longer without the use of mit- 
tens, assisted by the unlaying of the ropes to make them soft. 
When, in addition to these circumstances, the wet state of 
the decks and the little room left, as well as the reduced 
strength for working the ship, or heaving at hawsers among 
the ice, be considered, I believe that every seaman will admit 
the impracticability of pursuing this critical navigation till the 
Fury had been examined and repaired. As, therefore, not a 
moment could be lost, we took advantage of a small lane of wa- 
ter deep enough for boats, which kept open within the ground- 
ed masses along the shore, to convey to the Hecla some of 
the Fury's dry provisions, and to land a quantity of heavy 
iron-work, and other stores not perishable; for the moment 
this measure was determined on, I was anxious, almost at 
any risk, to commence the lightening of the ship as far as 
our present insecurity and our distance from the shore would 
permit. 

The wind blowing fresh from the northward, which always 
increased our difficulties on this coast, the ice pressed so vio- 
lently upon the ships as almost to force them adrift during the 
night, employing our people, now sufficiently harassed by their 
work during the day, for two or three hours, in still further 
increasing our security by additional hawsers. We continued 
landing stores from the Fury on the 4th, and at night a bower- 
cable was passed round one of the grounded masses alongside 
of her; for if either ship had once got adrift, it is difficult to 
say what might have been the consequence. 

At two a.m. on the 5th, the ice began to slacken near the 
ships, and as soon as a boat could be rowed along shore to the 
southward, I set out, accompanied by a second'from the Fury, 



OP A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. Ill 

for the purpose of examining the state of our intended harbour 
since the recent pressure, and to endeavour to prepare for the 
reception of the ships by clearing out the loose ice. On my 
arrival there, the distance being about a mile, I found that one 
of the three bergs had shifted its place so materially by the 
late movements of the ice, as not only to alter the disposition 
of these masses, on which our whole dependence rested, very 
much for the worse, but also to destroy all confidence in their 
stability upon the ground. Landing upon one of the bergs, 
to show the appointed signal for the ships to come, I perceived 
about half a mile to the southward beyond us a low point, form- 
ing a little bay, with a great deal of heavy grounded ice lying 
off it. I immediately rowed to this, in hopes of finding some- 
thing like a harbour for our purpose, but on my arrival there had 
once more the mortification to find that there was not above six 
feet of water, at low tide, in any part of it, and within the 
grounded ice not more than twelve. Having assured myself 
that no security or shelter was here to be found, I immediately 
returned to the former place, which the Hecla was just reach- 
ing. The Fury was detained some time by a quantity of loose 
ice which had wedged itself in, in such a manner as to leave 
her no room to move outwards; but she arrived about seven 
o'clock, when both ships were made fast in the best births we 
could find, but they were still excluded from their intended 
place by the quantity of ice which had fixed itself there. 
Within twenty minutes after our arrival, the whole body of 
ice again came in, entirely closing up the shore, so that our 
moving proved most opportune. 



112 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 



CHAPTER VI. 

FORMATION OF A BASIN FOR HEAVING THE FURY DOWN 

LANDING OF THE FURY's STORES, AND OTHER PREPARA- 
TIONS THE SHIPS SECURED WITHIN THE BASIN IMPE- 
DIMENTS FROM THE PRESSURE OF THE ICE FURY HOVE 

DOWN SECURITIES OF THE BASIN DESTROYED BY A GALE 

OF WIND PREPARATIONS TO TOW THE FURY OUT HE- 

CLA RE-EQUIPPED, AND OBLIGED TO PUT TO SEA FURY 

AGAIN DRIVEN ON SHORE REJOIN THE FURY; AND FIND 

IT NECESSARY FINALLY TO ABANDON HER. 

As there was now no longer room for floating the ice out 
of our proposed basin, all hands were immediately employed 
in preparing the intended securities against the incursions of 
the ice. These consisted of anchors carried to the beach, 
having bower^cables attached to them, passing quite round 
the grounded masses, and thus enclosing a small space of just 
sufficient size to admit both ships.* The cables we proposed 
floating by means of the two hand-masts and some empty 
casks lashed to them as buoys, with the intention of thus 
making them receive the pressure of the ice a foot or two be- 
low the surface of the water. By uncommon exertions on the 
part of the officers and men, this laborious work was com- 
pleted before night as far as was practicable until the loose ice 
should set out; and all the tents were set up on the beach for 
the reception of the Fury's stores. 

The ice remaining quite close on the 6th, every individual 
in both ships, with the exception of those at the pumps, was 
employed in landing provisions from the Fury, together with 
the spars, boats, and everything from off her upper deck. 
The ice coming in, in the afternoon, with a degree of pressure 
which usually attended a northerly wind on this coast, twisted 
Ihe Fury's rudder so forcibly against a mass of ice lying un- 
der her stern, that it was for some hours in great danger of 
* Seethe diagram, p. 114. 



OF A NORTH- WEST PASSAGE. MS 

being damaged, and was indeed only saved by the efforts of 
Captain Hoppner and his officers, who, without breaking off 
the men from their other occupations, themselves worked at 
the ice-saw. On the following day, the ice remaining as be- 
fore, the work was continued without intermission, and a great 
quantity of things landed. The two carpenters, Messrs. Pul- 
fer and Fiddis, took the Fury's boats in hand themselves, 
their men being required as part of our physical strength in 
clearing the ship. The armourer was also set to work on the 
beach in forging bolts for the martingales of the outriggers. 
In short every living creature among us was somehow or 
other employed; not even excepting our dogs, which were 
set to drag up the stores on the beach ; so that our little dock- 
yard soon exhibited the most animated scene imaginable. The 
quickest method of landing casks, and other things not too 
weighty, was that adopted by Captain Hoppner, and consisted 
of a hawser secured to the ship's main mast-head, and set up 
as tight as possible to the anchor on the beach; the casks be^ 
ing hooked to a block traversing on this as a jack-stay, were 
made to run down it with great velocity. By this means 
more than two were got on shore for every one landed by the 
boats, the latter, however, being constantly employed in ad- 
dition. The Fury was thus so much lightened in the course of 
the day, that two pumps were now nearly sufficient to keep her 
free, and this number continued requisite until she was hove 
down. Her spirit-room was now entirely clear, and on ex- 
amination the water was found to be rushing in through two 
or three holes that happened to be in the ceiling, and which 
were immediately plugged up. Indeed, it was now very evi- 
dent that nothing but the tightness of the Fury's diagonal ceil- 
ing had so long kept her afloat, and that any ship not thus 
fortified within could not possibly have been kept free by the 
pumps. 

At night, just as the people were going to rest, the ice be- 
gan to move to the southward, and soon after came in towards 
the shore, again endangering the Fury's rudder,* and pressing 

* I have mentioned the endangering of the rudders so frequently abwt 

1*5 



114 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERT 

her over on her side to so alarming a degree, as to warn us 
that it would not be safe to lighten her much more in her 
present insecure situation. One of our bergs also shifted its 
position by this pressure, so as to weaken our confidence in 
the pier-heads of our intended basin; and a long " tongue" 
of one of them forcing itself under the Heela's fore-foot, 
while the drift-ice was also pressing her forcibly from astern, 
she once more sewed three or four feet forward at low water, 
and continued to do so, notwithstanding repeated endeavours 
to haul her off, for four successive tides, the ice remaining so 
close and so much doubled under the ship, as to render it im- 
possible to move her a single inch. Notwithstanding the 
state of the ice, however, we did not remain idle on the 8th, 
all hands being employed in unrigging the Fury, and landing 
all her spars, sails, booms, boats, and other top-weight. In 
the afternoon, we carried a third bower-anchor to the beach, 
and secured another cable to the bight of the former ones, on 
the north side of the basin, as shewn at b in the annexed dia- 
gram, which will give the best idea of the nature of the har- 
bour we were forming. 




this time, that seamen may ask why they were not unshipped. It will 
give a tolerable idea of the critical situation in which we had for several 



OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 115 

This was the'more necessary, on account of the long bight of 
the cable from c to g, which any pressure would be sure to 
bring home upon the ships, and also because the ice always 
exerted the greatest force from that side. Indeed, the whole 
space we could hope to render secure was so extremely con- 
tracted, that we could not afford to lose a single foot of it; and 
having made these preparations, we anxiously looked for the 
ice slackening, that we might clear out our harbour, and 
have an opportunity of trying its efficacy for our intended 
purpose. 

The ice still continuing very close on the 9th, all hands 
were employed in attempting, by saws and axes, to clear the 
Hecla, which still grounded on the tongue of ice every tide. 
After four hours' labour, they succeeded in making four or 
five feet of room astern, when the ship suddenly slided down 
off the tongue with considerable force, and became once more 
afloat. We then got on shore the the Hecla's cables and haw- 
sers for the accommodation of the Fury's men in our tiers 
during the heaving down, struck our top-masts which would 
be required as shores and outriggers, and, in short, continued 
to occupy every individual in some preparation or other. 
These being entirely completed at an early hour in the after- 
noon, we ventured to go on with the landing of the coals and 
provisions from the Fury, preferring to run the risk which 
would thus be incurred, to the loss of even a few hours in the 
accomplishment of our present object. As it very oppor- 
tunely happened, however, the external ice slackened to the 
distance of about a hundred yards outside of us, on the morn- 
ing of the 10th, enabling us, by a most tedious and laborious 
operation, to clear the ice out of our basin piece by piece. 
The difficulty of this apparently simple process consisted in 
the heavy pressure having repeatedly doubled one mass under 
another, a position in which it requires great power to move 

days past been placed, to state that we had never had sufficient depth of 
water (about twenty-five feet) for doing so. 



116 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 

them, and also by the corners locking in with the sides of the 
bergs. Our next business was to tighten the cable sufficiently 
by means of purchases, and to finish the floating of them in 
the manner and for the purpose before described. After this 
had been completed, the ships had only a few feet in length, 
and nothing in breadth to spare, but we had now great hopes 
of going on with our work with increased confidence and se- 
curity. The Fury, which was placed inside, had something 
less than eighteen feet at low water; the Hecla lay in four 
fathoms, the bottom being strewed with large and small frag- 
ments of limestone. 

While thus employed in securing the ships, the smoothness 
of the water enabled us to see, in some degree, the nature of 
the Fury's damage; and it may be conceived how much pain 
it occasioned us plainly to discover that both the stern-post 
and fore-foot were broken and turned up on one side with the 
pressure. We also could perceive, as far as we were able to 
see along the main-keel, that it was much torn, and we had 
therefore reason to conclude that the damage would altogether 
prove very serious. We also discovered that several feet of 
the Hecla's false-keel was torn away abreast of the fore-chains, 
in consequence of her grounding forward so frequently. 

The ships being now as well secured as our means permit- 
ted from the immediate danger of ice, the clearing of the 
Fury went on with increased confidence, though greater alac- 
rity ..WQjs impossible, for nothing could exceed the spirit and 
zealous activity of every individual, and as things had turned 
out, the ice had not obliged us to wait a moment, except at 
the actual tiifc.es of its pressure. Being favoured with fine 
weather, we continued our work very quickly, so that on the 
12th every cask was landed, and also the powder; and the 
spare sails and clothing put on board the Hecla. On the 13th 
we found that a mass of heavy ice which had been aground 
within the Fury as shewn by the dotted lines in the diagram, 
had now floated off alongside of her at high water, still further 



OP A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 117 

contracting our already narrow basin, and leaving the ship no 
room for turning round. At the next high water, therefore, 
we got a purchase on it, and hove it out of the way, so that 
at night it drifted off altogether. The coals and preserved 
meats were the principal things now remaining on board the 
Fury, and these we continued landing by every method we 
could devise as the most expeditious. The tide rose so consi- 
derably at night, new moon occurring within an hour of high 
water, that we were much afraid of our bergs floating: they 
remained firm, however, even though the ice came in with so 
much force as to break one of our hand-masts, a fir-spar of 
twelve inches in diameter. As the high tides and the light- 
ening of the Fury now gave us sufficient depth of water for 
unshipping the rudders, we did so, and laid them upon the 
small berg astern of us, for fear of their being damaged by 
any pressure of the ice. 

Early on the morning of the 14th, the ice slackening a lit- 
tle in our neighbourhood, we took advantage of it, though the 
people were much fagged, to tighten the cables, which had 
stretched and yielded considerably by the late pressure. It 
was well that we did so ; for in the course of this day we were 
several times interrupted in our work by the ice coming with 
a tremendous strain on the north cables, the wind blowing 
strong from the N.N.W., and the whole "pack" outside of 
us setting rapidly to the southward. Indeed, notwithstanding 
the recent tightening and re-adjustment of the cables, the 
bight was pressed in so much, as to force the Fury against 
the berg astern of her, twice in the course of the day. Mr. 
Waller, who was in the hold the second time that this oc- 
curred, reported that the coals about the keelson were moved 
by it, imparting the sensation of a part of the ship's bottom 
falling down: and one of the men at work there was so 
strongly impressed with that belief, that he thought it high 
time to make a spring for the hatchway. From this circum- 
stance it seemed more than probable that the main keel haa' 
received some serious damage near the middle of the ship. 



118 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 

From this trial of the efficacy of our means of security, 
it was plain that the Fury could not possibly be hove down 
under circumstances of such frequent and imminent risk: I 
therefore directed a fourth anchor, with two additional cables, 
to be disposed as at a e in the diagram, with the hope of 
breaking some of the force of the ice by its offering a more 
oblique resistance than the other, and thus by degrees turn- 
ing the direction of the pressure from the ships. We had 
scarcely completed this new defence, when the largest floe we 
had seen since leaving Port Bowen came sweeping along the 
shore, having a motion to the southward of not less than a 
mile and a half an hour; and a projecting point of it, just graz- 
ing our outer berg at e, threatened to overturn it, and would 
certainly have dislodged it from its situation, but for the cable 
recently attached to it. A second similar occurrence took 
place with a smaller mass of ice, about midnight, and near the 
top of an unusually high spring-tide, which seemed ready to 
float away every security from us. For three hours about 
the time of this high water, our situation was a most critical 
one; for had the bergs, or indeed any one of them, been car- 
ried away or broken, both ships must inevitably have been 
driven on shore by the very next mass of ice that should 
come in. Happily, however, they did not suffer any further 
material disturbance, and the main body keeping at a short 
distance from the land until the tide had fallen, the bergs 
seemed to be once more firmly resting on the ground. The 
only mischief, therefore, occasioned by this disturbance, was 
the slackening of our cables by the alteration in the positions 
of the several grounded masses, and the consequent necessity 
of employing more time, which nothing but absolute neces- 
sity could induce us to bestow, in adjusting and tightening 
the whole of them afresh. 

The wind veering to the W.N.W. on the morning of the 
15th, and still continuing to blow strong, the ice was forced 
three or four miles off the land in the course of a few hours, 
leaving us a quiet d^y for continuing our work, but exciting no 



OP A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 1.19 

very pleasing sensations, when we considered what progress 
we might have been making, had we been at liberty to pursue 
our object. The land was, indeed, so clear of ice to the 
southward, that Dr. Neill, who walked a considerable distance 
in that direction, could see nothing but an open channel in- 
shore to the utmost extent of his view. * We took advantage 
of this open water to send the launch for the Fury's iron- 
work left at the former station ; for though the few men thus 
employed could very ill be spared, we were obliged to arrange 
everything with reference to the ultimate saving of time; and 
it would have occupied both ships' companies more than a„ 
whole day, to carry the things round by land. 

The Fury being completely cleared at an early hour on the 
16th, we were all busily employed in "winding" the ship, 
and in preparing the outriggers, shores, purchases and addi- 
tional rigging. Though we purposely selected the time of 
high water for turning the ship round, we had scarcely a foot 
of space to spare for doing it, and indeed, as it was, her fore- 
foot touched the ground, and loosened the broken part of the 
wood so much as to enable us to pull it up with ropes, when 
we found the fragments to consist of the whole of the " gripe" 
and most of the "cutwater." The strong breeze continuing, 
and the sea rising as the open water increased in extent, our 
bergs were sadly washed and wasted; every hour'' producing 
a sensible and serious diminution in their bulk. As, however, 
the main body of ice still kept off, we were in hopes, now 
that our preparations were so near completed, we should have 



* In coasting the high and more precipitous land to the northward of 
our present station, the wind always was observed to blow along it, ex- 
cept occasionally in passing a ravine or valley. The moment we opened 
this lower shore, on our first arrival, we found the wind draw three or four 
points off it. Low land is, on this account, much more favourable for 
coasting in these seas, than th^ which is very high. At Melville Island, 
as another instance, we met with comparatively few and trifling difficuHies 
till we came to high land, which I have no doubt was one cause at least of 
our being stopped- 



120 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERT 

been enabled in a few hours to see the extent of the damage, 
and repair it sufficiently to allow us to proceed. In the even- 
ing we received the Fury's crew on board the Hecla, every 
arrangement and regulation having been previously made for 
their personal comfort, and for the preservation of cleanliness, 
ventilation, and dry warmth throughout the ship. The offi- 
cers of the Fury, by their own choice, pitched a tent on shore- 
lbr messing and sleeping in, as our accomodation for two sets 
of officers was necessarily confined. On the 17th, when every 
preparation was completed, the cables were found again so 
.slack, by the wasting of the bergs in consequence of the con- 
tinued sea, and possibly also in part by the masses having 
moved somewhat inshore, that we were obliged to occupy se- 
veral hours in putting them to rights, as we should soon re- 
quire aP our strength at the purchases. One berg had also, 
at the last low water, fallen over on its side, in consequence 
of its substance being undermined by the sea, and the cable 
surrounding it was thus forced so low under water as no 
longer to afford protection from the ice should it again come 
in. In tightening the cables, we found it to have the effect of 
bringing the bergs in towards the shore, still further contract- 
ing our narrow basin; but any thing was better than suffering 
them to go adrift. This work being finished at ten p.m., the 
people were allowed three hours' rest only, it being necessary 
to heave the ship down at or near high water, as there was not 
sufficient depth to allow her to take her distance at any other 
time of tide. Every preparation being made, at three a.m. 
on the 18th, we began to heave her down on the larboard side; 
but when the purchases were nearly a-block, we found that the 
strops under the Hecla's bottom, as well as some of the Fury's 
shore-fasts, had stretched or yielded so much, that they could 
not bring the keel out of water within three or four feet. We 
immediately eased her up again, and re-adjusted everything 
as requisite, hauling her farther inshore than before by keep- 
ing a considerable heel upon her, so as to make less depth of 
water necessary: and we were then in the act of once mare 



OP A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 121 

heaving her down, when a snow storm came on and blew with 
such violence off the land, as to raise a considerable sea. The 
ships had now so much motion as to strain the geer very 
much, and even to make the lower masts of the Fury bend in 
spite of the shores; we were, therefore, most unwillingly 
compelled to desist until the sea should go down, keeping 
everything ready to recommence the instant" we could possi- 
bly do so with safety. The officers and men were now liter- 
ally so harrassed and fatigued as to be scarcely capable of fur- 
ther exertion without some rest; and on this and one or two 
other occasions, I noticed more than a single instance of stu- 
por amounting to a certain degree of failure in intellect, ren- 
dering the individual so affected quite unable at first to com- 
prehend the meaning of an order, though still as willing as 
ever to obey it. It was therefore perhaps a fortunate necessity 
which produced the intermission of labour which the strength 
of every individual seemed to require. 

The gale rather increasing than otherwise during the whole 
day and night of the 18th, had on the following morning, when 
the wind and sea still continued unabated, so destroyed the 
bergs on which our sole dependence was placed, that they no 
longer remained aground at low water; the cables had again 
become slack about them, and the basin we had taken so much 
pains in forming had now lost all its defences, at least during 
a- portion of every tide. It will be plain too, if I have succeed- 
ed in giving a distinct description of our situation, that, inde- 
pendently of the security of the ships,, there was now nothing 
left to sea-ward by which the Hecla could be held out in that 
direction while heaving the Fury down, so that our preparations 
in this way were no longer available. After a night of most 
anxious consideration and consultation with Captain Hoppner, 
who was now my messmate in the Hecla, it appeared but too 
plain, that, should the ice again come in, neither ship could 
any longer be secured from driving on shore. It was there- 
fore determined instantly to prepare the Hecla for sea, making 
her thoroughlv effective in every respect; so that we might at 

18 



123 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 

least push her out into comparative safety among the ice, when 
it closed again, taking every person onboard her, securing the 
Fury in the best manner we could, and returning to her the 
instant we were able to do so, to endeavour to get her out, 
and to carry her to some place of security for heaving down. 
If, after the Hecla was ready, time should still be allowed us, 
it was proposed immediately to put into the Fury all that was 
requisite, or at least as much as she could safely carry, and 
towing her out into the ice, to try the effect of " foddering" 
the leaks by sails under those parts of her keel which we knew 
to be damaged, until some more effectual means could be re- 
sorted to. 

Having communicated to the assembled officers and ships' 
companies my views and intentions, and moreover given them, 
to understand that I hoped to see the Hecla's topgallant-yards 
across before we slept, we commenced our work; and such 
was the hearty good-will and indefatigable energy with which 
it was carried on, that by midnight the whole was accomplish- 
ed, and a bower-anchor and cable carried out in the offing, for 
the double purpose of hauling out the Hecla when requisite, 
and as some security to the Fury if we were obliged to leave 
her. The people were once more quite exhausted by these 
exertions, especially those belonging to the Fury, who had 
never thoroughly recovered their first fatigues. The ice being 
barely in sight, we were enabled to enjoy seven hours of un- 
disturbed rest; but the wind becoming light, and afterwards 
shifting to the N.N.E., we had reason to expect the ice would 
soon close the shore, and were, therefore, most anxious to con- 
tinue our work. 

On the 20th, therefore, the re-loading of the Fury com- 
menced with recruited strength and spirits, such articles being in 
the first place selected for putting on board as were essentially re- 
quisite for her re-equipment; for it was my full determination, 
could we succeed in completing this, not to wait even for rigging 
a topmast, or getting a lower yard up, in the event of the ice 
toming in, but to tow her out among the ice, and there put 



OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 123 

everything sufficiently to rights for carrying her to some 
place of security. At the same time, the end of the sea-cable 
was taken on board the Fury, by way of offering some resist- 
ance to the ice, which was now more plainly seen, though still 
about five miles distant. A few hands were also spared, con- 
sisting chiefly of two or three convalescents, and some of the 
officers, to thrum a sail for putting under the Fury's keel; for 
we were very anxious to relieve the men at the pumps, which 
constantly required the labour of eight to twelve hands to 
keep her free. In the course of the day several heavy masses 
of ice came drifting by with a breeze from the N.E., which is 
here about two points upon the land, and made a considerable 
swell. One mass came in contact with our bergs, which, 
though only held by the cables, brought it up in time to pre- 
vent mischief. By a long and hard day's labour, the people 
not going to rest till two o'clock on the morning of the 21st, 
we got about fifty tons' weight of coals and provisions on board 
the Fury, which, in case of necessity, we considered sufficient 
to give her stability. While we were thus employed, the ice, 
though evidently inclined to come in, did not approach us 
much; and it may be conceived with what anxiety we longed 
to be allowed one more day's labour, on which the ultimate 
saving of the ship might almost be considered as depending. 
Having hauled the ships out a little from the shore, and pre- 
pared the Hecla for casting by a spring at a moment's notice, 
all the people except those at the pumps were sent to rest, 
which, however, they had not enjoyed for two hours, when 
at four a.m. on the 21st, another heavy mass coming violently 
in contact with the bergs and cables, threatened to sweep 
•away every remaining security. Our situation with this addi 
tional strain, the mass which had disturbed us fixing itself 
upon the weather-cable, and an increasing wind and swell set- 
ting considerably on the shore, became more and more preca- 
rious; and indeed, under circumstances as critical as can well 
be imagined, nothing but the urgency and importance of the 
object we had in view — that of saving the Fury if she was to 



124 THIRD VOYAGE t'OR THE DISCOVERY 

be saved — could have prevented my making sail, and keeping 
the Hecla under way till matters mended. More hawsers 
were run out, however, and enabled us still to hold on; and 
after six hours of disturbed rest, all hands were again set to 
work to get the Fury's anchors, cables, rudder, and spars on 
board, these things being absolutely necessary for her equip- 
ment, should we be able to get her out. At two p.m. the 
crews were called on board to dinner, which they had not 
finished, when several not very large masses of ice drove 
along the shore near us at a quick rate, and two or three succes- 
sively coming in violent contact either with the Hecla or the 
bergs to which she was attached, convinced me that very little 
additional pressure would tear everything away, and drive 
both ships on shore. I saw that tbe moment had arrived when 
the Hecla could no longer be kept in her present situatipn with 
the smallest chance of safety, and therefore immediately got 
under sail, despatching Captain Hoppner with every indi- 
vidual except a few for working the ship, to continue getting 
the things on board the Fury, while the Hecla stood off and 
on. It was a quarter past three p.m. when we cast off, the 
wind then blowing fresh from the north-east, or about two 
points upon the land, which caused some surf on the beach- 
Captain Hoppner had scarcely been an hour on board the "Fu- 
ry, and was busily engaged in getting the anchors and cables < 
on board, when we observed some large pieces of not very 
heavy ice closing in with the land near her; and at twenty 
minutes past four p.m., being an hour and five minutes after 
the Hecla had cast off, I was informed by signal that the Fury 
was on shore. Making a tack inshore, but not being able r 
even under a press of canvass, to get very near her, owing to, 
a strong southerly current which prevailed within a mile or 
two of the land, I perceived that she had been apparently 
driven up the beach by two or three of the grounded masses 
forcing her onwards before them, and these, as well as the 
ship, seemed now so firmly aground as entirely to block her 
in on the sea-ward side. We also observed that the bergs 



OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 



125 



outside of her, marked f and g in the diagram, had been torn 
away and set adrift by the ice. As the navigating of the 
Hecla with only ten men on board required constant attention 
and care, I could not at this time with propriety leave the 
ship to go on board the Fury. This, however, I the less re- 
gretted, as Captain Hoppner was thoroughly acquainted with 
all my views and intentions, and I felt confident that, under 
his direction, nothing would be left undone to endeavour to 
save the ship. I, therefore, directed him by telegraph, "if 
he thought nothing could be done at present, to return on board 
with all hands until the wind changed;" for this alone, as far 
as I could see the state of the Fury, seemed to offer the small- 
est chance of clearing the shore, so as to enable us to proceed 
with our work, or to attempt hauling the ship off the ground. 
About seven p.m. Captain Hoppner returned to the Hecla, ac- 
companied by all hands, except an officer with a party at the 
pumps, reporting to me that the Fury had been forced aground 
by the ice pressing on the masses lying near her, and bringing 
home, if not breaking, the sea-ward anchor, so that the ship 
was. soon found to have sewed from two to three feet fore and 
aft. The several masses of ice had moreover so disposed them- 
selves, as shewn in the annexed figure, as almost to surround 
her on every side where there was sufficient depth of water 
for hauling her off. 




126 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 

With the ship thus situated, and masses of heavy ice con- 
stantly coming in, it was Captain Hoppner's decided opinion, 
as well as that of Lieutenants Austin and Ross, that to have 
laid out another anchor to sea-war 4 d would have only been to 
expose it to the same damage as there was reason to suppose 
had been incurred with the other, without the most distant 
hope of doing any service; especially as the ship had been driv- 
en on shore, by a most unfortunate coincidence, just as the 
tide was beginning to fall. Indeed, in the present state of the 
Fury, nothing short of chopping and sawing up a part of the 
ice under her stern, could by any possibility have effected her 
release, even if she had been already afloat. Under such cir- 
cumstances, hopeless as for the time every seaman will admit 
them to have been, Captain Hoppner judiciously determined 
to return for the present, as directed by my telegraphic com- 
munication; but being anxious to keep the ship free from wa- 
ter as long as possible, he left an officer and a small party of 
men to continue working at the pumps so long as a communi- 
cation could be kept up between the Hecla and the shore. 
Every moment, however, decreased the practicability of doing 
this; and finding, soon after Captain Hoppner's return, that 
the current swept the Hecla a long way to the southward 
while hoisting up the boats, and that more ice was drifting in 
towards the shore, I was under the painful necessity of recall- 
ing the party at the pumps, rather than incur the risk, now an 
inevitable one, of parting company with them altogether. Ac- 
cordingly Mr. Bird with the last of the people came on board 
at eight o'clock in the evening, having left eighteen inches 
water in the well, and four pumps being requisite to keep her 
free. In three hours after Mr. Bird's return, more than half 
a mile of closely packed ice intervened between the Fury and 
the open water in which we were beating, and before the 
morning this barrier had increased to four or five miles in 
breadth. 

We carried a press of canvas all night, with a fresh breeze 
from the north, to enable us to keep abreast of the Fury, 



OP A FORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 127 

which, on account of the strong southerly current, we could 
only do by beating at some distance from the land. The 
breadth of the ice inshore continued increasing during the 
day, but we could see no end to the water in which we were 
beating, either to the southward or eastward. Advantage was 
taken of the little leisure now allowed us, to let the people 
mend and wash their clothes, which they had scarcely had a 
moment to do for the last three weeks. We also completed 
the thrumming of a second sail for putting under the Fury's 
keel, whenever we should be enabled to haul her off the shore. 
It fell quite calm in the evening, when the breadth of the ice 
inshore had increased to six or seven miles. We did not, 
during the day, perceive any current setting to the south- 
ward, but in the course of the night we were drifted four or , 
five leagues to the south-westward, in which situation we had 
a distinct view of a large extent of land which had before 
been seen for the first time by some of our gentlemen who 
walked from where the Fury lay. This land trends very much 
to the westward, a little beyond the Fury Point, the name 
by which I have distinguished that headland near whichswe 
had attempted to heave the Fury down, and which is very 
near the southern part of this coast seen in the year 1819. It 
then sweeps round into a large bay formed by a long, low 
beach several miles in extent, afterwards joining higher land, 
and running in a south-easterly direction to a point which ter- 
minated our view of it in that quarter, and which bore from 
us S. 58° W. distant six or seven leagues. This headland I 
named Cape Garry, after my worthy friend Nicholas Gar- 
ry, Esq., one of the most active members of the Hudson's Bay 
Company, and a gentleman most warmly interested in every- 
thing connected with northern discovery. The whole of the 
bay, (which I named after my much esteemed friend, Fran- 
cis Cresweee, Esq.,) as well as the land to the southward, 
was free from ice for several miles, and to the southward and 
eastward scarcely any was to be seen, _while a dark water- 
sky indicated a perfectly navigable sea in that direction; but 



128 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 

between us and the Fury there was a compact body of ice 
eight or nine miles in breadth. Had we now been at liberty 
to take advantage of the favourable prospect before us, I have 
little doubt we should without much difficulty have, made con- 
siderable progress. 

A southerly breeze enabling us to regain our northing, we 
ran along the margin of the ice; but were led so much to the 
eastward by it, that we could approach the ship no nearer 
than before during the whole day. She appeared to us at this 
distance to have a much greater heel than when the people left 
her, which made us still more anxious to get near her. A south- 
west wind gave us hopes of the ice setting off from the land, 
but it produced no good effect during the whole of the 24th. 

We, therefore, beat again to the southward, to see if we 
could manage to get in with the land anywhere about the 
shores of the bay; but this was now impracticable, the ice 
being once more closely packed there. We could only wait, 
therefore, in patience, for some alteration in our favour. The 
latitude at noon was 72° 34' 57", making our distance from 
the Fury twelve miles, which by the following morning had 
increased to at least five leagues, the ice continuing to " pack" 
between us and the shore. The wind, however, now gradual- 
ly drew round to the westward, giving us hopes of a change, 
and we continued to ply about the margin of the ice, in con- 
stant readiness for taking advantage of any opening that might 
occur. It favoured us so much by streaming off in the 
course of the day, that by seven p. m. we had nearly reached a 
channel of clear water which kept open for seven or eight 
miles from the land. Being impatient to obtain a sight of the 
Fury, and the wind becoming light, Captain Hoppner and 
myself left the Hecla in two boats, and reached the ship at 
half-past nine, or about three-quarters of an hour before high 
water, being the most favourable time of tide for arriving to 
examine her condition. 

We found her heeling so much outward, that her main chan- 
nels were within a foot of the water; and the large floe-piece 



OP A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 129 

(in the diagram, p. 125, marked a), which was still alongside 
of her, seemed alone to support her below water, and to pre- 
vent her falling over still more considerably. The ship had 
been forced much farther up the beach than before, and she had 
now in her bilge above nine feet of water, which reached 
higher than the lower-deck beams. On looking down the stern- 
post, which, seen against the light-coloured ground, and in 
shoal water, was now very distinctly visible, we found that 
she had pushed the stones at the bottom up before her, and 
that the broken keel, stern-post, and dead-wood had, by the 
recent pressure, been more damaged and turned up than be- 
fore. She appeared principally to hang upon the ground abreast 
the gangway, where, at high water, the depth was eleven feet 
alongside her keel; forward and aft from thirteen to sixteen 
feet; so that at low-tide, allowing the usual fall of five or six 
feet, she would be lying in a depth of from five to ten feet only. 
The first hour's inspection of the Fury's condition too plainly 
assured me that exposed as she was, and forcibly pressed up 
upon an open and stony beach, her holds full of water, and the 
damage of her hull to all appearance and in all probability 
more considerable than before, without any adequate means of 
hauling her off to seaward, or securing her from the further 
incursions of the ice, every endeavour of ours to get her off, 
or if got off, to float her to any known place of safety, would 
be at once utterly hopeless in itself, and productive of extreme 
risk to our remaining ship. 

Being anxious, however, in a case of so much importance, 
to avail myself of the judgment and experience of others, I di- 
rected Captain Hoppner, in conjunction with Lieutenants Aus- 
tin and Sherer, and Mr. Pulfer, carpenter, being the officers 
who accompanied me to the Fury, to hold a survey upon her, 
and to report their opinions to me. And to prevent the possi- 
bility of the officers receiving any bias from my own opinion, 
the order was given to them the moment we arrived on board 
the Fury. 

Captain Hoppner and the other officers, after spending seve*- 

17 



130 THIRD VOYAGE i'OR THE DISCOVERY 

ral hours in attentively examining every part of the ship, both 
within and without, and maturely weighing all the circum- 
stances of her situation, gave it as their opinion that it would 
be quite impracticable to make her sea-worthy, even if she 
could be hauled off, which would first require the water to be 
got out of the ship, and the holds to be once more entirely 
cleared. Mr. Pulfer, the carpenter of the Fury, considered 
that it would occupy five days to clear the ship of water; that 
if she were got off, all the pumps would not be sufficient to 
keep her free, in consequence of the additional damage she 
seemed to have sustained; and that, if even hove down, twenty 
days' work, with the means we possessed, would be required 
for making her sea-worthy. Captain Hoppner, and the other 
officers, were, therefore, of opinion, that an absolute necessity 
existed for abandoning the Fury. My own opinion being thus 
confirmed as to the utter hopelessness of saving her, and feel- 
ing more strongly than ever the responsibility which attached 
to me of preserving the Hecla unhurt, it was with extreme 
pain and regret that I made the signal for the Fury's officers 
and men to be sent for their clothes, most of which had been 
put on shore with the stores. * 

The Hecla's bower-anchor, which had been placed on the 
beach, was sent on board as soon as the people came oh shore; 
but her remaining cable was too much entangled with the 
grounded ice to be disengaged without great loss of time. Hav- 
ing allowed the officers and men an hour for packing up their 
clothes, and WW else belonging to them the water in the ship 
had not covered, the Fury's boats were hauled up on the beach, 
and at two a. m. I feft her, and was followed by Captain Hopj> 
ner, Lieutenant Austin, and the last of the people in half an 
hour after. 

The whole of the Fury's stores were of necessity left either 
on board her or on shore, every spare corner that we could 

* The written reports and opinions of Captain Hoppner, the two lieu- 
tenants, and the carpenter, are inserted in this part of my original Journal, 
lodged at the Admiralty; but it has not been considered necessary to print 
them in detail. 



OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 131 

find in the Hecla being now absolutely required for the accom- 
modation of our double complement of officers and men, whose 
cleanliness and health could only be maintained by keeping 
the decks as clear and well ventilated as our limited space 
would permit. The spot where the Fury was left is in lati- 
tude 72° 42' 30"; the longitude by chronometers is 91° 50' 
05"; the dip of the magnetic needle 8S° 19 ',22; and the vari- 
ation 129° 25' Westerly. 

When the accident first happened to the Fury, I confidently 
expected to have been able to repair her damages, in good 
time to take advantage of a large remaining part of the navi- 
gable season in the prosecution of the voyage; and while the 
clearing of the ship was going on with so much alacrity, and 
the repairs seemed to be within the reach of our means and 
resources, I still flattered myself with the same hope. But as 
soon as the gales began to destroy, with a rapidity of which 
Ave had before no conception, our sole defence from the incur- 
sions of the ice, as well as the only trust-worthy means we 
before possessed of holding the Hecla out for heaving the Fury 
down, I confess that the prospect of the necessity then likely 
to arise for removing her to some other station, was sufficient 
to shake every reasonable expectation that I had hitherto che- 
rished of the ultimate accomplishment of our object. Those 
expectations were now at an end. With a twelvemonth's 
provision for both ships' companies, extending our resources 
only to the autumn of the following year, it would have been 
folly to hope for final success, considering the small progress 
we had already made, the uncertain nature of this navigation, 
and the advanced period of the present season. I was, there- 
fore reduced to the only remaining conclusion, that it was my 
duty, under all the circumstances of the case, to return to 
England, in compliance with the plain tenor of my instruc- 
tions. As soon as the boats were hoisted up, therefore, and 
the anchor stowed, the ship's head was put to the north-east- 
ward, with a light air off the land, in order to gain an offing 
before the ice should again set inshoro. 



132 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 



CHAPTER VII. 

SOME REMARKS UPON THE LOSS OF THE FURY AND ON THE 

NATURAL HISTORY, &C. OF THE COAST OF NORTH SOMER- 
SET ARRIVE AT NEILL'S HARBOUR DEATH OF JOHN PAGE 

—LEAVE NEILL'S HARBOUR RE-CROSS THE ICE IN BAF- 
FIN'S BAY HEAVY GALES AURORA BOREALIS TEMPERA- 
TURE OF THE SEA ARRIVAL IN ENGLAND CONCLUDING 

REMARKS ON SOME NATURAL PHENOMENA PECULIAR TO THE 

POLAR SEAS ON THE DISCOVERIES OF THE OLD BRITISH 

NAVIGATORS AND ON THE NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 

The accident which had now befallen the Fury, and which, 
when its fatal result was finally ascertained, at once put an end 
to every prospect of success in the main object of this voyage, 
is not an event which will excite surprise in the minds of those 
who are either personally acquainted with the true nature of 
this precarious navigation, or have had patience to follow me 
through the tedious and monotonous detail of our operations 
during seven successive summers. To any persons thus quali- 
fied to judge, it will be plain that an occurrence of this nature 
was at all times rather to be expected than otherwise, and that 
the only real cause for wonder has been our long exemption 
from such a catastrophe. I can confidently aifirm, and I trust 
that, on such an occasion, I may be permitted to make the re- 
mark, that the mere safety of the ships has never been more 
than a secondary object in the conduct of the expeditions un- 
der my command. To push forward while there was any open 
water to enable us to do so, has uniformly been our first en- 
deavour; it has not been until the channel has actually termi- 
nated, that we have ever been accustomed to look for a place 
of shelter, to which the ships were then conducted with all 
possible despatch : and I may safely venture to predict that 
no ship acting otherwise will ever accomplish the North-west 
Passage. On numerous occasions, which will easily recur to 



OP A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 133 

the memory of those I have had the honour to command, the 
ships might easily have been placed among the ice, and left to 
drift with it, in comparative, if not absolute security, when 
the holding them on has been preferred, though attended with 
hourly and imminent peril. This was precisely the case on 
the present occasion; the ships might certainly have been 
pushed into the ice a day or two, or even a week before-hand, 
and thus preserved from all risk of being forced on shore; but 
where they would have been drifted, and when they would 
have been again disengaged from the ice, or at liberty to take 
advantage of the occasional openings inshore, (by which alone 
the navigation of these seas is to be performed with any de- 
gree of certainty) I believe it impossible for any one to form 
the most distant idea. Such, then, being the necessity for 
constant and unavoidable risk, it cannot reasonably excite sur- 
prise, that, on a single occasion, out of so many in which the 
same accident seemed, as it were, impending, it should actu- 
ally have taken place. 

These remarks I conceive to be the more necessary, because 
I believe that our former successes in this navigation, and our 
entire exemption from serious damage, had served to beget a 
very general, but erroneous notion, that our ships were proof 
against any pressure to which they might be subject. This 
belief extended even in a certain degree to those employed on 
this service, who almost began to consider our ships as invul- 
nerable; and, for my own part, I confess that, though a mo- 
ment's reflection would at any time contradict such a notipn, 
I often experienced a feeling of confidence in their strength 
too nearly approaching to presumption. We have now learn- 
ed by experience that a body of ice of no very heavy kind, 
when bearing in a particular manner, and with its whole force, 
upon a ship touching the ground, is quite sufficient to set every 
combination of wood and iron at defiance, even when disposed, 
as in the Fury and Hecla, with all the skill and strength which 
art can suggest. In truth, a ship, like any other work of man, 
sinks, and must ever sink, into insignificance, when viewed 



134 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 

in comparison with the stupendous scale on which Nature's 
works are framed, and her operations performed; and a vessel 
of whatever magnitude, or whatever strength, is little better 
than a nut-shell, when obliged to withstand the pressure of the 
unyielding ground on one side, and a moving body of ice on 
the other. 

These truths, however well I might have been before aware 
of them, it would not have become me to touch upon, under 
almost any other circumstances than those I have now detailed. 
On no other occasion, indeed, should I have considered it 
either necessary or justifiable to dwell even for a moment upon 
them. I have done so now with the hope of shewing that, 
while we trust it will appear that our own endeavours have 
never been wanting to preserve, as far as was consistent with 
our duty, the ships committed to our charge, we also feel and 
acknowledge that it has not been "our own arm," nor "our 
own strength," to which we have so long owed their preser- 
vation. 

The ice we met with after leaving Port Bowen, previously 
to the Fury's disaster, and for some days after, I consider to 
have been much the lightest as well as the most broken we 
have ever had to contend with. During the time we were shut 
up at our last station near the Fury, one or two floes of very 
large dimensions drifted past us; and these were of that heavy 
" hummocky" kind which we saw off Cape Kater in the be- 
ginning of August, 1819. On the whole, however, Mr. Alli- 
son and myself had constant occasion to remark the total ab- 
sence of floes, and the unusual lightness of the other ice. We 
thought, indeed, that this latter circumstance might account 
for its being almost incessantly in motion on this coast; for 
heavy ice, when once it is pressed home upon the shore, and 
has ceased to move, generally remains quiet until a change of 
wind or tide makes it slacken. But with lighter ice, the fre- 
quent breaking and doubling of the parts which sustain the 
strain, whenever any increase of pressure takes place, will set 
the whole body once more in motion till the space is again 



OP A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 135 

filled up. This was so often the case while our ships lay in the 
most exposed situations on this unsheltered coast, that we were 
never relieved for a moment from the apprehension of some 
new and increased pressure. 

The summer of 1825 was, beyond all doubt, the warmest 
and most favourable we had experienced since that of 1818. 
Not more than two or three days occurred, during the months 
of July and August, in which that heavy fall of snow took 
place which so commonly converts the aspect of nature in these 
regions, in a single hour, from the cheerfulness of summer into 
the dreariness of winter. Indeed, we experienced very little 
either of snow, rain, or fog; vegetation, wherever the soil al- 
lowed any to spring up, was extremely luxuriant and forward; 
a great deal of the old snow, which had lain on the ground du- 
ring the last season, was rapidly dissolving even early in Au- 
gust; and every appearance of nature exhibited a striking con- 
trast with the last summer, while it seemed evidently to fur- 
nish an extraordinary compensation for its rigour and incle- 
mency. 

We have scarcely ever visited a coast, on which so little of j 
animal life occurs. For days together, only one or two seals, / 
a single sea-horse, and now and then a flock of ducks were 
seen. I have already mentioned, however, as an exception to \ 
this scarcity of animals, the numberless kittiwakes which were \ 
flying about the remarkable spout of water; and we were one 
day visited, at the place where the Fury was left, by hun- 
dreds of white whales sporting about in the shoal water close 
to the beach. No black whales were ever seen on this coast. 
Two rein-deer were observed by the gentlemen who extended 
their walks inland; but this was the only summer in which we 
did not procure a single pound of venison. Indeed, the whole 
of our supplies obtained in this way during the voyage, inclu- 
ding fish, flesh, and fowl, did not exceed twenty pounds per 
man. 

During the time that we were made fast upon this coast, in 
which situation alone observations on current can be satisfac- 



136 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 

torily made, it is certain that the ice was setting to the south- 
ward, and sometimes at a rapid rate, full seven days out of 
every ten on an average. Had I now witnessed this for the 
first time in these seas, I should probably have concluded that 
there was a constant southerly set at this season ; but the expe- 
rience we had before obtained of that superficial current which 
every breeze of wind creates in a sea encumbered with ice, 
coupled with the fact that while this set was noticed, we had 
an almost continual prevalence of northerly winds, inclines 
me to believe that it was to be attributed, chiefly at least, to 
this circumstance; especially as, on one or two occasions, with 
rather a light breeze from the southward, the ice did set slow- 
ly in the opposite direction. It is not by a few unconnected 
observations that a question of this kind is to be settled, as the 
facts noticed during our detention near the west end of Mel- 
ville Island in 1820 will abundantly testify; every light air of 
wind producing, in half an hour's time, an extraordinary 
change of current setting at an incredible rate along the land. 
The existence of these variable and irregular currents adds, 
of course, very much to the difficulty of determining the true 
direction of the flood-tide, the latter being generally much the 
weaker of the two, and therefore either wholly counteracted 
by the current, or simply tending to accelerate it. On this 
account, though I attended very carefully to the subject of the 
tides, I cannot pretend to say for certain from what direction 
the flood- tide comes on this coast: the impression on my mind, 
however, has been upon the whole in favour of its flowing 
from the southward. The time of high water on the full and 
change days of the moon is from half past eleven to twelve 
o'clock, being nearly the same as at Port Bowen ; but the tides 
are so irregular at times, that in the space of three days the 
retardation will occasionally not amount to an hour. I ob- 
served, however, that as the days of full and change, or of the 
moon's quarter approached, the irregularity was corrected, 
and the time rectified, by some tide of extraordinary duration. 
The mean rise and fall was about six feet. 



OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 137 

The weather continuing nearly calm during the 26th, and 
the ice keeping at the distance of several miles from the land, 
gave us an opportunity of clearing our decks, and stowing the 
things belonging to the Fury's crew more comfortably for 
their accommodation and convenience. I now felt more sen- 
sibly than ever the necessity I have elsewhere pointed out, of 
both ships employed on this kind of service being of the same 
size, equipped in the same manner, and alike efficient in eve- 
ry respect. The way in which we had been able to apply eve- 
ry article for assisting to heave the Fury down, without the 
smallest doubt or selection as to size or strength, proved an 
excellent practical example of the value of being thus able, at 
a moment's warning, to double the means and resources of 
either ship in case of necessity. In fact, by this arrangement, 
nothing but a harbour to secure the ships was wanted, to have 
completed the whole operation in as effectual a manner as in a 
dock-yard; for not a shore, or outrigger, or any other precau- 
tion was omitted, that is usually attended to on such occasions, 
and all as good and effective as could anywhere have been de- 
sired. The advantages were now scarcely less conspicuous in 
the accommodation of the officers and men, who in a short 
time became little less comfortable than in their own ship; 
whereas, in a smaller vessel, comfort, to say nothing of health, 
would have been quite out of the question. Having thus ex- 
perienced the incalculable benefit of the establishment com- 
posing this expedition, I am anxious to repeat my conviction 
of the advantages that will always be found to attend it, in the 
equipment of any two ships intended for discovery. 

A little snow, which had fallen in the course of the last two 
or three days, now remained upon the land, lightly powder- 
ing the higher parts, especially those having a northern as- 
pect, and creating a much more wintery sensation than the 
large broad patches or drifts, which, on all tolerably highland 
in these regions, remain undissolved during the whole of each 
successive summer. With the exception of a few such patches 

IS 



138 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 

here and there, the whole of this coast was now free from snow 
before the middle of August. 

A breeze from the northward freshening up strong on the 
27th, we stretched over to the eastern shore of Prince Re- 
gent's IrHet, and this with scarcely any obstruction from ice. 
We could, indeed, scarcely believe this the same sea which, 
but a few weeks before, had been loaded with one impenetra- 
ble body of closely-packed ice from shore to shore, and as far 
as the eye could discern to the southward. We found this 
land rather more covered with the newly-fallen snow than 
that to the westward ; but there was no ice, except the grounded 
masses, anywhere along the shore. Having a great deal of 
heavy work to do in the re-stowage of the holds, which could 
not well be accomplished at sea, and also a quantity of water 
to fill for our increased complement, I determined to take ad- 
vantage of our fetching the entrance of Neill's Harbour to put 
in here, in order to prepare the ship completely for crossing 
the Atlantic. I was desirous also of ascertaining the depth of 
water in this place, which was wanting to complete Lieuten- 
ant Sherer's survey of it. At one p.m. therefore, after com- 
municating to the officers and ships' companies my intention 
to return to England, I left the ship, accompanied by Lieuten- 
ant Sherer in a second boat, to obtain the necessary soundings 
for conducting the ship to the anchorage, and to lay down a 
buoy in the proper birth. Finding the harbour an extremely 
convenient one for our purpose, we worked the ship in, and 
at four p. m. anchored in thirteen fathoms, but afterwards shift- 
ed out to eighteen, on a bottom of soft mud. Almost at the 
moment of our dropping the anchor, John Page, seaman of 
the Fury, departed this life: he had for several months been 
affected with a scrofulous disorder, and he was gradually sink- 
ing for some time. This being the only case of disease which 
proved fatal in either ship of this expedition, I shall here in- 
sert the following brief account of it, with which I have been 
favoured by Mr. M'Laren, surgeon of the Fury. 



OS* A NOttTH-WEST PASSAGE. 139 

4{ In the beginning of March this poor man received an in- 
jury over the lower part of the spine, by a fall while descend- 
ing a hill at Port Bowen, where he had been employed with 
a party at work. The accident at first appeared so trifling, that 
for some days he took no notice of it, and did not complain 
till the 11th, when the part had become so swelled and in- 
flamed that he could not walk. Resolution was in vain at- 
tempted; an abscess formed, and was opened on the 17th, 
when about six ounces of strumous matter was discharged, 
which discovered the injury to be more deeply-seated and 
serious than was at first apprehended; particularly as it occur- 
red in a subject that from his white hair, fair skin, and deli- 
cate appearance, too certainly indicated a scrofulous habit. 
On the 19th, by an unfortunate fall in his hammock, the head- 
screw by which it was suspended giving way, the hurt receiv- 
ed fresh injury, and so deranged the constitution, that sympa- 
thetic fever supervened, and continued till the 24th, when he 
again began to show symptoms of amendment; soon after the 
sore assumed a healing aspect, and he was able to walk about 
without pain or difficulty. These favourable appearances 
lasted but a short time; the discharge increased, and the sur- 
rounding parts became covered with inflamed spots, which af- 
terwards suppurated, and separately communicated internally 
with the original abscess. He now daily became weaker; on , 
the 13th of August hectic fever came on, and he expired on 
the 27th." 

The funeral of the deceased took place after divine service 
had been performed on the 28th; the body being followed to 
the grave by a procession of all the officers, seamen and ma- 
rines of both ships, and every solemnity observed which the 
occasion demanded. The grave is situated near the beach close 
to the anchorage; and a board was placed at the head as a sub- 
stitute for a tomb-stone, having on it a copper plate with the 
usual inscription. 

This duty being performed, we immediately commenced 
landing the casks and filling water; but notwithstanding the 



140 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 

large streams which, a short time before, had Been running 
into the harbour, we could hardly obtain enough for our pur- 
pose by sinking a cask with holes in it. I have no doubt that 
this rapid dissolution of all the snow on land so high as this, 
was the result of an unusually warm summer. This work, 
together with the entire re-stowage of all the holds, occupied 
the whole of the 29th and 30th, during which time Lieutenant 
Sherer was employed in completing the survey of the harbour, 
more especially the soundings, which the presence of ice had 
before prevented. These arrangements had just been com- 
pleted, when the north-easterly wind died away, and was suc- 
ceeded, on the morning of the 31st, by a light air from the 
north-west. As soon as we had sent to ascertain that the sea 
was clear of ice on the outside, and that the breeze which blew 
in the harbour was the true one. we weighed and stood out r 
and before noon had cleared the shoals at the entrance. 

Neill's Harbour, the only one on this eastern coast of Prince 
Regent's Inlet except Port Bowen, to which it is far superior, 
corresponds with one of the apparent openings seen at a dis- 
tance in 1819, and marked on the chart of that voyage as a 
"valley or bay." We found it not merely a convenient 
place of shelter, but a most excellent harbour, with sufficient 
space for a great number of ships, and holding-ground of the 
best .quality, consisting of a tenacious mud of a greenish co- 
lour, in which the flukes of an anchor are entirely imbedded. 
A great deal of the anchoring ground is entirely land-locked, 
and some shoal points which narrow the entrance would serve 
to break off any heavy sea from the eastward. The depth of 
water in most parts is greater than could be wished, but seve- 
ral good births are pointed out in a survey made by Lieute- 
nant Sherer. The beach on the west side is a fine bold one, 
with four fathoms within twenty yards of low-water mark. 
and consists of small pebbles of limestone. The formation 
of the rocks about the harbour is so similar to that of Port 
Bowen, that no description of them is necessary. The harbour 
may best be known by its latitude; by the very remarkable 



OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 141 

flat-topped hill eight miles south of it, which I have named 
after Lieutenant Sherer, who observed its latitude; by the 
high cliffs on the south side of the entrance, and the compara- 
tively low land on the north. The high land is the more pe- 
culiar, as consisting of that very regular horizontal stratifica- 
tion appearing to be supported by buttresses, which charac- 
terizes a large portion of the western shore of Prince Regent's 
Inlet, but is not seen on any part of this coast so well marked 
as here. It is a remarkable circumstance, and such as, I be- 
lieve, very rarely occurs, that from the point of this land 
forming the entrance of the harbour to the southward, and 
where the cliffs rise at once to a perpendicular height of not less 
than five or six hundred feet, a shoal stretches off to the dis- 
tance of one-third of a mile, having from three to eight fa- 
thoms upon it. I have reason to think, indeed, that there is 
not more than from ten to fourteen fathoms, anywhere across 
between this and the low point on the other side, thus forming 
a sort of bar, though the depth of water is much more than suf- 
ficient for any ship to pass over. The latitude of Neill's Har- 
bour is 73° 09' 08"; the longitude by chronometers 89° 01' 
20".8; the dip of the magnetic needle 88° 08'.25, and the va- 
riation 118° 48' westerly. 

I have been thus particular in describing Neill's Harbour, 
because I am of opinion that at no very distant period the 
whalers may find it of service. The western coast of Baffin's 
Bay, now an abundant fishery, will probably, like most others, 
fail in a few years; for the whales will always, in the course of 
time, leave a place where they continue, year after year, to 
be molested. In that case, Prince Regent's Inlet will undoubt- 
edly become a rendezvous for our ships, as well on account of 
the numerous fish there, as the facility with which any ship, 
having once crossed the ice in Baffin's Bay, is sure to reach it 
during the months of July and August. We saw nine or ten 
black whales the evening of our arrival in Neill's Harbour; 
these, like most observed hereabouts, and I believe on the 
western coast of Baffin's Bay generally, were somewhat be- 
low the middle size. 



142 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 

Finding the wind at north-west in Prince Regent's Inlet? 
we were barely able to lie along the eastern coast. As the 
breeze freshened in the course of the day, a great deal of loose 
ice in extensive streams and patches came drifting down from 
the Leopold Islands, occasioning us some trouble in picking 
our way to the northward. By carrying a press of sail, how- 
ever, we were enabled, towards night, to get into clearer wa- 
ter, and by four a.m. on the 1st of September, having beat 
to windward of a compact body of ice which had fixed itself 
on the lee-shore about Cape York, we soon came into a per- 
fectly open sea in Barrow's Strait, and were enabled to bear 
away to the eastward. We now considered ourselves for- 
tunate in having got out of harbour when we did, as the ice 
would probably have filled up every inlet on that shore in a 
few hours after we left it. 

The wind heading us from the eastward on the 2nd, with fog 
and wet weather, obliged us to stretch across the Sound, in 
doing which we had occasion to remark the more than usual 
number of icebergs that occurred in this place, which was 
abreast of Navy -Board Inlet. Many of these were large and 
of the long flat kind, which appear to me to be peculiar to the 
western coast of Baffin's Bay. I have no doubt that this more 
than usual quantity of icebergs in Sir James Lancaster's Sound 
was to be attributed to the extraordinary prevalence and 
strength of the easterly winds during this summer, which 
would drive them from the eastern parts of Baffin's Bay. 
They now occurred in the proportion of at least four for one 
that we had ever before observed here. 

Being again favoured with a fair wind, we now stretched to 
the eastward, still in an open sea; and our curiosity was par- 
ticularly excited to see the present situation of the ice in the 
middle of Baffin's Bay, and to compare it with that in 1824. 
This comparison we were enabled to make the more fairly, be- 
cause the season at which we might expect to come to it coin- 
cided, within three or four days, with that in which we left it 
the preceding year. The temperature of the sea- water now 



OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 143 

increased to 38°, soon after leaving the Sound, where it had 
generally been from 33° to 35°, whereas at the same season 
last year it rose no higher than 32° anywhere in the neighbour- 
hood, and remained even so high as that only for a very short 
time. This circumstance seemed to indicate the total absence 
of ice from those parts of the sea which had last Autumn been 
wholly covered by it. Accordingly, on the 5th, being thirty 
miles beyond the spot in which we had before contended with 
numerous difficulties from ice, not a piece was to be seen, ex- 
cept one or two solitary bergs; and it was not till the follow- 
ing day, in latitude 72° 45', and longitude 64° 44', or about 
one hundred and twenty-seven miles to the eastward of where 
we made our escape on the 9 th of September, 1824, that we 
fell in with a body of ice so loose and open as scarcely to oblige 
us to alter our course for it. At three p. m. on the 7th, being 
in latitude 72° 30', and longitude 60° 05', and, having, in the 
course of eighty miles that we had run through it, only made a 
single tack, we came to the margin of the ice, and got into an 
open sea on its eastern side. In the whole course of this dis- 
tance the ice was so much spread, that it would not, if at all 
closely "packed," have occupied one-third of the same space. 
There were at this time thirty-nine bergs in sight, and some 
of them certainly not less than two hundred feet in height. 

The narrowness and openness of the ice at this season, be- 
tween the parallels of 73° and 74°, when compared with its 
extent and closeness about the same time the preceding year, 
was a decided confirmation, if any were wanting, that the 
summer of 1824 was extremely unfavourable for penetrating 
to the westward about the usual latitudes. How it had proved 
elsewhere we could not of course conjecture, till, on the 8th, 
being in latitude 71° 55', longitude 60° 30', and close to the 
margin of the ice, we fell in with the Alfred, Ellison, and 
Elizabeth, Whalers of Hull, all running to the northward, 
even at this season, to look for whales. From them we learned 
that the Ellison was one of the two ships we saw, when beset 
in the "pack" on the 18th of July, 1824; and that they were 



144 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 

then, as we had conjectured, on their return from the north- 
ward, in consequence of having failed in effecting a passage to 
the westward. The master of the Ellison informed Us that, 
after continuing their course along the margin of the ice to 
the southward, they at length passed through it to the western 
land without any difficulty, in the latitude of 68° to 69°„ 
Many other ships had also crossed about the same parallels, 
even in three or four days; but none, it seemed, had succeeded 
in doing so, as usual, to the northward. Thus it plainly ap- 
peared (and I need not hesitate to confess that to me the infor- 
mation was satisfactory) that our bad success in pushing across 
the ice in Baffin's Bay in 1824, had been caused by circum- 
stances neither to be foreseen nor controlled; namely, by a 
particular position of the ice which, according to the best in- 
formation 1 have been able to collect, has never before occur- 
red during the flnly six years that it has been customary for 
the Whalers to cross this ice at all, and which, therefore, in 
all probability, will seldom occur again. 

If we seek for a cause for the ice thus hanging with more 
than ordinary tenacity to the northward, the comparative cold- 
ness of the season indicated by our meteorological observations 
may perhaps be considered sufficient to furnish it. For as the 
annual clearing of the northern parts of Baffin's Bay depends 
entirely on the time of the disruption of the ice, and the rate 
at which it is afterwards drifted to the southward by the ex- 
cess of northerly winds, any circumstance tending to retain it 
in the bays and inlets to a later period than usual, and subse- 
quently to hold it together in large floes, which drive more 
slowly than smaller masses, would undoubtedly produce the 
effect in question. There is, at all events, one useful practical 
inference to be drawn from what has been stated, which is, 
that, though perhaps in a considerable majority of years a 
northern latitude may prove the most favourable for crossing 
in, yet seasons will sometimes intervene, in which it will be a 
matter of great uncertainty whereabouts to make the attempt 
with the best hope of success. 



OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 145 

As the whaling-ships were not homeward bound, having as 
yet had indifferent success in the fishery, I did not consider it 
necessary to send despatches by them. After an hours com- 
munication with them, and obtaining such information of a 
public nature as could not fail to be highly interesting to us, 
we made sail to the southward ; while we observed them lying 
to for some time after, probably to consult respecting the un- 
welcome information with which we had furnished them as to 
the whales, not one of which, by some extraordinary chance, 
we had seen since leaving Neill's Harbour. As this circum- 
stance was entirely new to us, it seems not unlikely that the 
whales are already beginning to shift their ground, in conse- 
quence of the increased attacks which have been made upon 
them of late years in that neighbourhood. 

On the 10th we had an easterly wind, which gradually 
freshening to a gale, drew up the Strait from the southward, 
and blew strong for twenty -four hours from that quarter. In 
the course of the night, and while lying-to under the storm- 
sails, an iceberg was discovered by its white appearance un- 
der our lee. The main-topsail being thrown aback, we were 
enabled to drop clear of this immense body, which would have 
been a dangerous neighbour in a heavy sea-way. The wind 
moderated on the 11th, but on the following day another gale 
came on, which for nine or ten hours blew in most tremen- 
dous gusts from the same quarter, and raised a heavy sea. We 
happily came near no ice during the night, or it would scarcely 
have been possible to keep the ship clear of it. It abated after 
daylight on the 1 3th, but continued to blow an ordinary gale 
for twelve hours longer. It was remarkable that the weather 
was extremely clear overhead during the whole of this last 
gale, which is very unusual here with a southerly wind. Be- 
ing favoured with a northerly breeze on the 15th, we began 
to make some way to the southward. From nine a.m. to one 
p.m., a change of temperature in the sea water took place from 
37° to 33°. This circumstance seemed to indicate our ap- 
proach to some ice projecting to the eastward beyond the 

19 






14ti THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DI5C0VERY 

strait and regular margin of the "pack," which was at this 
time not in sight. The indication proved correct and useful ; 
for after passing several loose pieces of ice during the night, 
on the morning of the 15th, just at day-break, we came to a 
considerable body of it, through which we continued to run 
to the southward. We were now in latitude 68° 56', and in 
longitude 58° 27', in which situation a great many bergs were 
in sight, and apparently aground. We ran through this ice, 
which was very heavy, but loose and much broken up, the 
whole day; when, having sailed fifty-three miles S.S.E., and 
appearances being the same as ever, we hauled to the E.S.E., 
to endeavour to get clear before dark, which we were just en- 
abled to effect after a run of thirty miles in that direction, and 
then bore up to the southward. After this we saw but one 
iceberg, and one heavy loose piece, previous to our clearing 
Davis' Strait. 

On the 17th at noon we had passed to the southward of the 
Arctic Circle, and from this latitude to that of about 5S°, we 
had favourable winds and weather; but we remarked on this, 
as on several other occasions during this season, that a north- 
erly breeze, contrary to ordinary observation, brought more 
moisture with it than any other. In the course of this run, 
we also observed more drift-wood than we had ever done be- 
fore, which I thought might possibly be owing to the very 
great prevalence of easterly winds this season driving it fur- 
ther from the coast of Greenland than usual. We saw very 
large flocks of kittiwakes, some of the whales called finners, 
and, as we supposed, a few also of the black kind, together 
with multitudes of porpoises. 

On the morning of the 24th, notwithstanding the continu- 
ance of a favourable breeze, we met, in the latitude of 58%°, 
so heavy a swell from the north-eastward as to make the ship 
labour violently for four-and-twenty hours. The northerly 
wind then dying away was succeeded by a light air from the 
eastward with constant rain. A calm then followed for seve- 
ral hours, causing the ship to roll heavily in the hollow of the 



OP A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 147 

sea. On the morning of the 25th we had again an easterly 
wind, which in a few hours reduced us to the close-reefed top- 
sails and reefed courses. At eight p.m. it freshened to a gale, 
which brought us under the main-topsail and storm-staysails, 
and at seven the following morning it increased to a gale of 
such violence from N.E.b.N. as does not very often occur at 
sea in these latitudes. The gusts were at times so tremendous 
as to set the sea quite in a foam, and threatened to tear the 
sails out of the bolt-ropes. It abated a little for four hours in 
the evening, but from nine p.m. till two the following morn- 
ing blew with as great violence as before, with a high sea, and 
very heavy rain, constituting altogether as inclement weather 
as can well be conceived, for about eighteen hours. The wind 
gradually drew to the westward, with dry weather, after the 
gale began to abate, and at six a.m. we were enabled to bear 
up and run to the eastward with a strong gale at N. W. 

The indications of the barometer previous to and during 
this gale deserve to be noticed, because it is only about Cape 
Farewell that, in coming from the northward down Davis' 
Strait, this instrument begins to speak a language which has 
ever been intelligible to us as a weather-glass. As it is also 
certain that a " stormy spirit" resides in the neighbourhood 
of this headland, no less than in that of more famed ones to 
the south, it may become a matter of no small practical utility 
for ships passing it, especially in the autumn, to attend to the 
oscillations of the mercurial column. It is with this impres- 
sion alone, that I have detailed the otherwise uninteresting cir- 
cumstances of the inclement weather we now experienced 
here, and which was accompanied by the following indications 
of the barometer. On the 24th, notwithstanding the change 
of wind from north to east, the mercury rose from 29.51 on 
that morning, to 29.72 at three a.m. the following day, but 
fell to 29.39 by nine p.m. with the strong but not violent 
breeze then blowing. After this it continued to descend very 
gradually, and had reached 28.84, which was its minimum, 
at three p.m. on the 26th, after which it continued to blow 



148 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 

tremendously hard for eleven or twelve hours, the mercury 
uniformly though slowly ascending to 28. 95 during that in- 
terval, and afterwards to 29.73, as the weather became mo- 
derate and fine in the course of the three following days. 

After this gale the atmosphere seemed to be quite cleared, 
and we enjoyed a week of such remarkably fine weather as 
seldom occurs at this season of the year. We had then a suc- 
cession of strong southerly winds, but were enabled to continue 
our progress to the eastward, so as to make Mould Head, to- 
wards the north-west end of the Orkney Islands, at daylight 
on the 10th of October; and the wind becoming more wester- 
ly, we rounded North Ronaldsha Island at noon, and then 
shaped a course for Buchaness. 

In running down Davis' Strait, as well as in crossing the 
Atlantic, we saw on this passage, as well as in all our former 
autumnal ones, a good deal of the Aurora Borealis. It first 
began to display itself, on the 15th of September, about the 
latitude of 694°, appearing in the (true) south-east quarter as 
a bright luminous patch five or six degrees above the horizon, 
almost stationary for two or three hours together, but fre- 
quently altering its intensity, and occasionally sending up 
vivid streamers towards the zenith. It appeared in the same 
manner, on several subsequent nights, in the south-west, west, 
and east quarters of the heavens; and on the 20th a bright 
arch of it passed across the zenith from S.E. to N.W., ap- 
pearing to be very close to the ship, and affording so strong a 
light as to throw the shadow of objects on the deck. The 
next brilliant display, however, of this beautiful phenomenon 
which we now witnessed, and which far surpassed anything 
'of the kind observed at Port Bo wen, occurred on the night of 
the 24th of September, in latitude 58i°, longitude 44J°. It 
first appeared in a (true) east direction, in detached masses 
like luminous clouds of yellow or sulphur-coloured light, about 
three degrees above the horizon. When this appearance had 
continued for about an hour, it began, at nine p.m. to spread 
upwards, and gradually extended itself into a narrow band of 



OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 149 

light passing through the zenith and again downwards to the 
western horizon. Soon after this the streams of light seemed 
no longer to emanate from the eastward, but from a fixed 
point about one degree above the horizon on a true west bear- 
ing. From this point, as from the narrow point of a funnel, 
streams of light resembling brightly-illuminated vapour or 
smoke, appeared to be incessantly issuing, increasing in 
breadth as they proceeded, and darting with inconceivable ve- 
locity, such as the eye could scarcely keep pace with, up- 
wards towards the zenith, and in the same easterly direction 
which the former arch had taken. The sky immediately un- 
der the spot from which the light issued, appeared, by a de- 
ception very common in this phenomenon, to be covered with 
a dark cloud, whose outline the imagination might at times 
convert into that of the summit of a mountain, from which 
the light proceeded, like the flames of a volcano. The streams 
of light, as they were projected upwards, did not consist of 
continuous vertical columns or streamers, but almost entirely 
of separate, though constantly-renewed masses, which seemed 
to roll themselves laterally onward, with a sort of undulating 
motion, constituting what I have understood to be meant by 
that modification of the Aurora called the " merry-dancers," 
which is seen in beautiful perfection at the Shetland Islands. 
The general colour of the light was yellow, but an orange 
and a greenish tinge were at times very distinctly perceptible, 
the intensity of the light and colours being always the great- 
est when occupying the smallest space. Thus the lateral mar- 
gins of the band or arch seemed at times to roll themselves 
inwards so as to approach each other, and in this case the light 
just at the edges became much more vivid than the rest. The 
intensity of light during the brightest part of the phenomenon, 
which continued three-quarters of an hour, could scarcely be 
inferior to that of the moon when full. 

We once more remarked, in crossing the Atlantic, that the 
Aurora often gave a great deal of light at night, even when the 
sky was entirely overcast, and it was on that account impossi- 



150 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 

ble to say from what part of the heavens the light proceeded, 
though it was often fully equal to that afforded by the moon in 
her quarters. This was rendered particularly striking, on the 
night of the 5th of October, in consequence of the frequent 
and almost instantaneous changes which took place in this 
way, the weather being rather dark and gloomy, but the sky 
at times so brightly illuminated, almost in an instant, as to 
give quite as much light as the full moon similarly clouded, 
and enabling one distinctly to recognize persons from one 
end of the ship to the other. We did not on any one occa- 
sion perceive the compasses to be affected by the Aurora 
Borealis. 

Some of the changes in the temperature of the sea-water, 
which occurred during this passage, appear to me sufficiently 
remarkable to require a more distinct notice than is contained 
in the Meteorological Abstracts; and as these changes might 
be of service to ships making the passage, I here insert in one 
concise view the gradual alterations which took place, both on 
the outward and homeward bound passage. 



OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE- 151 

CHANGES IN THE TEMPERATURE OF THE SEA-WATER. 







Latitude 


Longitude 


Temperature 




Day. 


Hour. 






of the Sea 


REMARKS. 






N. 


W. 


changed to 




1824. 




o / 


o / 


o 




From June 1st 


-j r 


59 28 


9 31 


1 C48 




till 


( ) 


to 


to 


C }to 




Noon 7th 


C £ 


60 47 


22 36 


5 C49 




June 7th 


1 P.M. 


60 06 


22 40 


52 




8th 


3 A.M. 


58 27 


23 20 


49 to 50 




10th 


3 P.M. 


58 42 


28 33 


48 




11th 


9 A.M. 


58 23 


32 04 


47 




(C 


3 P.M. 


58 07 


33 16 


46 




a 


9 P.M. 


58 00 


34 21 


45 




12th 


9 A.M. 


57 57 


36 57 


44 




« 


3 P.M. 


58 04 


38 05 


43 




13th 


5 A.M. 


58 11 


41 25 


41 




« 


7 P.M. 


58 19 


43 13 


40 


Near the meri- 


14th 


3 A.M. 


58 24 


43 27 


39 


dian of Cape 


(C 


3 P.M. 


58 48 


45 44 


38 


Farewell. 


loth 


9 P.M. 


59 59 


52 30 


37 




16th 


9 A.M. 


60 33 


54 46 


36 




« 


9 P.M. 


60 50 


55 27 


35 




17th 


9 A.M. 


60 40 


57 13 


34 to 35 


And for a few 


20th 


3 P.M. 


64 21 


56 22 


33 


hours at 36°. 


21st 


3 A.M. 


65 41 


57 09 


30i to 31| 




1825. 












Sept. 16th 


7 P.M. 


67 46 


57 47 


32 


Near the ice. 


« 


Midnight. 


67 32 


57 15 


34 


No ice in sight. 


17th 


1 A.M. 


67 27 


57 05 


36 


do. 


(C 


5 A.M. 


67 09 


56 42 


37 


do. 


tt 


9 A.M. 


66 47 


56 26 


37.5 


do. 


« 


11 A.M. 


66 31 


56 11 


38 


do. 


(( 


1 to 3 P.M. 


66 14 


55 55 


36 


Probably near- 


K 


5 P.M. 


65 56 


55 27 


37 


er some ice. 


<c 


9 P.M. 


65 38 


55 10 


38 




18th 


9 P.M. 


64 40 


55 04 


39 




19th 


9 A.M. 


64 09 


55 15 


40 




" 


1 P.M. 


64 07 


55 13 


41 




tt 


7 P.M. 


63 51 


55 04 


41.5 




<( 


9 P.M. 


63 4,7 


55 01 


42 




20th 


7 P.M. 


62 41 


56 44 


43 




23 rd 


3 A.M. 


59 43 


50 52 


44 




tt 


About 5 p.m. 


59 03 


47 45 


45 




24th 


5 A.M. 


58 22 


43 41 


45.5 




<( 


9 P.M. 


58 18 


43 35 


46 




27th 


1 P.M. 


56 30 


42 30 


49 


Changed from 






About 


meridian of 




46" to 49' from 






the Cape 


Farewell. 




llAM.tol PM. 


28th 


11 A.M. 


•57 06 


38 34 


51 


Ditto to 51" 


30th 


11 A.M. 


58 17 


31 43 


52 


from 9 to 11 


October 1st 


9 A.M. 


58 33 


29 14 


53 


A.M. 


3rd 


9 A.M. 


59 03 


23 28 


54 to 54.5 





152 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 

As we approached the Orkneys, I demanded from the offi- 
cers, in compliance with my instructions from my Lords Com- 
missioners of the Admiralty, all the logs, journals, drawings 
and charts which had been made during the voyage. After 
rounding the north end of the Orkneys on the 10th of October, 
we were, on the 12th, met by a strong southerly wind, when 
off Peterhead. I, therefore, immediately landed (for the se- 
cond time) at that place, and setting off without delay for Lon- 
don, arrived at the Admiralty on the 16th. 

Notwithstanding the ill success which had attended our late 
efforts, it may in some degree be imagined what gratification I 
experienced at this time in seeing the whole of the Hecla's 
crew, and also those of the Fury (with the two exceptions 
already mentioned) return to their native country in as good 
health as when they left it eighteen months before. The Hecla 
arrived at Sheerness on the 20th of October, where she was 
detained for a few days for the purpose of Captain Hoppner, 
his officers, and ship's company, being put upon their trial 
(according to the customary and indispensable rule in such 
cases) for the loss of the Fury; when, it is scarcely necessary 
to add, they received an honourable acquittal. The Hecla 
then proceeded to Woolwich, and was paid off on the 21st of 
November. 



Having now brought to a close my Narrative of this our 
third unsuccessful attempt to decide the question of a North- 
West Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific, I shall here beg 
to offer, in conclusion, a few remarks on this and one or two 
other subjects, which have engaged much of my attention du- 
ring eight successive summers that I have been employed on 
this service. 

I shall first mention a circumstance which has particularly 
forced itself upon my notice in the course of our various at- 



OP A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 153 

tempts to penetrate through the ice in these regions; which is, 
that the eastern coast of any portion of land, or, what is the 
same thing, the western sides of seas or inlets, having a tren- 
ding at all approaching to north and south, are, at a given sea- 
son of the year, generally more encumbered with ice than the 
shores which have an opposite aspect. The four following in- 
stances may be adduced, in illustration of this fact, and cannot 
but appear somewhat striking when considered in viewing a 
map which exhibits the relative position of the shores in ques- 
tion. 

It is well known that, in the extensive northern sea, reach- 
ing from latitude 60° to 80°, bounded on the east by Lapland 
and Spitzbergen, and on the west by Greenland, the whole of 
the latter coast is blocked up by ice throughout the summer, 
so as to make it at least a matter of no easy enterprize to ap- 
proach it; while the navigation of the eastern portion of that 
sea may be annually performed without difficulty, even to a 
very high latitude, and at an early part of the season. A se- 
cond equally well known instance occurs in the navigation of 
Davis's Strait, which, from about Resolution Island, in lati- 
tude 61|°, to the parallel of at least 70°, is usually inaccessible 
as late as the month of August, and a great deal of it in some 
summers not accessible at all; while a broad and navigable 
channel is found open on the eastern side of the Strait (that 
is, on the western coast of Greenland) many weeks before 
that time. We experienced a third and very striking exam- 
ple of this kind in coasting the eastern shore of Melyille Pe- 
ninsula, in the years 1822 and 1823, the whole of that coast 
being so loaded with ice as to make the navigation extremely 
difficult and dangerous. Now, on the eastern side of Fox 
Channel, there is reason to believe, as well from the account 
of that navigator in 1631 and that of Baffin in 1615, as from, 
our own observation, that there is little or no ice during the 
summer season. In the course of Fox's progress along the 
shore, from the Trinity Islands to his furthest north, no mention 
whatever is made in his journal of any obstruction from ice, 

20 



154 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 

which would hardly have been the case had he met with any } 
and in our own passage, as well as that of Baffin, from Trinity 
Islands towards the middle of Southampton Island, little or 
no obstruction was met with from it till well within sight 
of the latter coast. The last instance of the same kind which 
I shall mention is that of Prince Regent's Inlet, and of which 
the events of this voyage furnish too striking a proof, the ice 
appearing always to cling to the western shore in a very re- 
markable manner, while the opposite coast is comparatively 
free from it. 

These facts, when taken together, have long ago impressed 
me with an idea, that there must exist in the polar regions 
some general motion of the sea towards the west, causing the 
ice to set in that direction, when not impelled by contrary 
winds, or local and occasional currents, until it butts against 
those shores which are actually found to be most encumbered 
by it. In confirmation of this idea, I am enabled to adduce 
some more definite observations, which would appear to tend 
to the same result In the Narrative of the Voyage of 1821 
to 1823, I have shown in how remarkable a manner the ships 
were, in two separate instances, set to the westward, towards 
Southampton Island, instead of being carried in the direction 
opposite to a strong wind; and how closely the packed ice was 
found to cling to the same land, even against a fresh breeze 
blowing directly off the shore. * During the time of our " be- 
setment" in Baffin's Bay, in the month of August, 1824, a 
set to the westward, even against a strong breeze in that di- 
rection, has already been noticed in the present narrative;! 
and a similar circumstance occurred on our last return. In 
all these instances, the opportunities were as favourable for 
detecting a current as can ever occur at sea, the daily obser- 
vations for latitude and longitude not admitting the possibility 
of any material error in our actual place, and the ships being, 
in three instances out of four, either immoveably " beset" in 

* Pp. 78, 481, 482. f p. 40. 



OP A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 155 

the ice, or firmly attached to it, and therefore wholly inde- 
pendent of dead reckoning. 

Whether the circumstances I have above stated may have 
any reference to the well-known fact of the western shores of 
lands enjoying a climate considerably more temperate than 
the eastern ones in a corresponding latitude, I do not presume 
even to conjecture; nor indeed do I feel myself competent to 
offer any decided opinion as to the cause of the phenomena in 
question. Having stated the facts precisely as they have oc- 
curred to my notice, I shall only, therefore, add to these 
remarks by suggesting, for the consideration of others, whe- 
ther such a tendency of the sea as that above noticed may 
not have some connexion with the motion of the earth on 
its axis. 

In the effect produced by the ice upon the strength of the 
wind, there is something so remarkable, that although I have 
already cursorily alluded to it in the course of my Narratives, 
yet as I have never met with any explanation of it, I am de- 
sirous of once more drawing to this subject the attention of 
those who are competent judges of the cause of this phenome- 
non. The fact to which I allude is the decrease of wind 
which invariably takes place in passing under the lee, not 
merely of a close and extensive body of high and heavy ice, 
but even of a stream of small pieces, so loose as almost to al- 
low a ship to pass between them, and not one of them reaching 
a foot above the surface of the sea. So immediate, indeed^ 
is this effect, that the moment a ship comes under the lee of 
such a stream, if under press of sail, she rights considerably, 
the difference being at least equal to what seamen would es- 
timate a " reef in the top-sails," or sometimes more. Any- 
thing like mere mechanical shelter must of course, in such a 
case, be wholly out of the question ; which is still more appa- 
rent from the fact, that even a coat of " sludge" of the con- 
sistence of honey, covering the surface of the sea, will, though 
in a less degree, produce a similar effect. I have several times, 
under these circumstances, watched the thermometer, to see 



156 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERT 

if any sensible change took place in the temperature of the 
atmosphere; but if the phenomenon be in any respect due 
to this cause, its amount is certainly too small to be thus 
detected. 

Another remarkable feature observable in the Polar regions, 
at least in those parts which are encumbered with ice, is the 
total absence of heavy or dangerous squalls of wind. There 
is, of course, an exception to this in the neighbourhood of 
land, especially such as is intersected by valleys and ravines; 
but in a ship fairly at sea, I cannot call to my recollection a 
single instance, in the Polar regions, of such squalls as, in 
other climates, oblige the seaman to lower his topsails during 
their continuance. 

In re-visiting many of the spots discovered by our early 
British navigators in the Polar regions, and in traversing the 
same tracks which they originally pursued, I have now and 
then, in the course of my Narratives, had occasion to speak 
of the faithfulness of their accounts, and the accuracy of their 
hydrographical information. I should, however, , be doing 
but imperfect justice to the memory of these extraordinary 
men, as well as to my own sense of their merits, if I permit- 
ted the present opportunity to pass without offering a still 
more explicit and decided testimony to the value of their la- 
bours. The accounts of Hudson, Baffin, and Davis are the 
productions of men of no common stamp. They evidently 
relate things just as they saw them, dwelling on such nautical 
and hydrographical notices as, even at this day, are valuable 
to any seaman going over the same ground, and describing 
every appearance of nature, whether on the land, the sea, or 
the ice, with a degree of faithfulness which can alone perhaps 
be duly appreciated by those who succeed them in the same 
regions, and under similar circumstances. The general out- 
line of the lands they discovered was laid down by themselves 
with such extraordinary precision, even in longitude, as 
scarcely to require correction in modern times; of which fact 
the oldest maps now extant of Baffin's Bay, and the Straits of 



OP A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 157 

Hudson and Davis, constructed from the original materials, 
will afford sufficient proof. The same accuracy is observable 
in their accounts of the tides, soundings, and bearings, pheno- 
mena in which the lapse of two hundred years can have 
wrought but little change. It is, indeed, impossible for any 
one personally acquainted with the phenomena of the icy seas, 
to peruse the plain and unpretending narratives of these navi- 
gators, without recognising in almost every event they relate, 
some circumstance familiar to his own recollection and expe- 
rience, and meeting with numberless remarks which bear most 
unequivocally about them the impress of truth. 

While thus doing justice to the faithfulness and accuracy 
with which they recorded their discoveries, one cannot less 
admire the intrepidity, perseverance, and skill with which,, 
inadequately furnished as they were, those discoveries were 
effected, and every difficulty and danger braved. That any 
man, in a single frail vessel of five-and-twenty tons, ill-found 
in most respects, and wholly unprovided for wintering, having 
to contend with a thousand real difficulties, as well as with 
numberless imaginary ones, which the superstitions then exist- 
ing among sailors would not fail to conjure up, — that any man, 
under such circumstances, should, two hundred years ago, 
have persevered in accomplishing what our old navigators did 
accomplish, is, I confess, sufficient to create in my mind a 
feeling of the highest pride on the one hand, and almost ap- 
proaching to humiliation on the other: of pride, in remember- 
ing that it was our countrymen who performed these exploits; 
of humiliation, when I consider how little, with all our advan- 
tages, we have succeeded in going beyond them. 

Indeed the longer our experience has been in the naviga- 
tion of the icy seas, and the more intimate our acquaintance 
with all its difficulties and all its precariousness, the higher 
have our admiration and respect been raised for those who 
went before us in these enterprises. Persevering in difficulty, 
unappalled by danger, and patient under distress, they scarcely 
ever use the language of complaint, much less that of despair; 



153 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 

and sometimes, when all human hope seems at its lowest ebb, 
they furnish the most beautifuF" examples of that firm reliance 
on a merciful and superintending providence, which is the 
only rational source of true fortitude in man. Often, with 
their narratives impressed upon my mind, and surrounded by 
the very difficulties which they in their frail and inefficient 
barks undauntedly encountered and overcame, have I been 
tempted to exclaim with all the enthusiasm of Purchas, " How 
shall I admire your heroicke courage, ye marine worthies, be- 
yond all names of worthiness!" 

On a subject which has, for many years past, excited so 
strong and general an interest as that of the North- West Pas- 
sage, a subject which has called forth so much warm British 
feeling in every British heart, it may perhaps be expected 
that, charged as I have been with three several attempts at 
its accomplishment, I should, ere I close this volume, once 
more offer an opinion. This I am enabled to do the more 
briefly, because the question evidently rests nearly where it 
did before the equipment of the late expedition, and I have, 
therefore, little to offer respecting it, in addition to what I 
have already said at the close of my last Narrative.* The 
views I then entertained on this subject, of the nature and 
practicability of the enterprise, of the means to be adopted, 
and the route to be pursued for its accomplishment, remain 
wholly unaltered at the present moment; except that some 
additional encouragement has been afforded by the favourable 
appearances of a navigable sea near the south-western extre- 
mity of Prince Regent's Inlet. To that point, therefore, I 
can, in the present state of our knowledge, have no hesitation 
in still recommending that any future attempt should be 
directed. 

I feel confident that the undertaking, if it be deemed ad- 
visable at any future time to pursue it, will jone day or other 
be accomplished; for, setting aside the accidents to which, 
from their very nature, such attempts must be liable, as well 

* Pp. 487—491. 



OP A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 15!> - 

as other unfavourable circumstances which human foresight 
can never guard against, nor human power control, I cannot 
but believe it to be an enterprise well within the reasonable 
limits of practicability. It may be tried often, and often fail, 
for several favourable and fortunate circumstances must be com- 
bined for its accomplishment; but I believe nevertheless that 
it will ultimately be accomplished. That it is not to be un- 
dertaken lightly, nor without due attention to every precau- 
tion which past or future experience may suggest, our recent, 
failures under such advantages of equipment as no other expe- 
dition of any age or country ever before united, and we trust 
also our own endeavours to effect something worthy of so lib- 
eral an outfit, will at least serve to show. I am much mis- 
taken indeed, if the North- West Passage ever becomes the 
business of a single summer; nay, I believe that nothing but a 
concurrence of very favourable circumstances is likely even 
to make a single winter in the ice sufficient for its accomplish- 
ment. But this is no argument against the possibility of final 
success; for we now know that a winter in the ice may be 
passed not only in safety, but in health and comfort. I would 
only, therefore, in conclusion, urge those who may at any fu- 
ture time be charged with this attempt, to omit no precaution* 
that can in the slightest degree contribute to the strength of 
the ships, the duration of their resources, the wholesomeness 
and freshness of their provisions, the warmth, ventilation, 
and cleanliness of the inhabited apartments, and the comfort,, 
cheerfulness, and moral discipline of their crews. 

Happy as I should have considered myself in solving this 
interesting question, instead of still leaving it a matter of spe- 
culation and conjecture, happy shall I also be if any labours of 
mine in the humble, though it would seem necessary, office of 
pioneer, should ultimately contribute to the success of some 

* That none of our past experience may be lost in any future attempts 
of this kind in either hemisphere, I am preparing a book intended to be 
lodged at the Admiralty, containing directions under each separate head, 
for the whole equipment of ships about to be employed on this service. 



160 THIRD VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY, &C. 

more fortunate individual ; but most happy should I again be, 
to be selected as that individual. May it still fall to England's 
lot to accomplish this undertaking, and may she ever continue 
to take the lead in enterprises intended to contribute to the 
advancement of science, and to promote, with her own, the 
welfare of mankind at large! Such enterprises, so disinte- 
rested as well as useful in their object, do honour to the coun- 
try which undertakes them, even when they fail; they can- 
not but excite the admiration and respect of every liberal and 
cultivated mind, and the page of future history will undoubt- 
edly record them as every way worthy of a powerful, a virtu- 
ous, and an enlightened nation. 



END OF THE NARRATIVE. 



Note. — The following are the terms in which the Court- 
Martial upon Captain Hoppner for the loss of the Fury, was 
pleased to express the sentence. 

" And having heard the evidence adduced, and also 



the statement of Captain Henry Parkyns Hoppner, the Court is 
of opinion that no blame whatever attaches, on that occasion, 
to Captain Henry Parkyns Hoppner, his officers, or ship's com- 
pany ; and doth, in consequence thereof, adjudge the said Cap- 
tain Henry Parkyns Hoppner, his officers, and ship's company, 
to be fully acquitted. 

" And the said Captain Henry Parkyns Hoppner, his officers, 
and ship's company are hereby fully acquitted accordingly. 

" And the court in justice to the services of Captain Parry, 
the officers, and ship's company of His Majesty's sloop Hecla, 
as well as those of Captain Hoppner, the officers, and ship's 
company of His Majesty's sloop Fury, to save His Majesty's 
said sloop Fury, cannot omit this opportunity of expressing the 
high opinion they entertain of their very distinguished exer- 
tions." 



21 



ZOOLOGY. 

By LIEUT. JAMES CLARK ROSS, R. N., F. L. S. 



The Natural History of the Arctic Regions has lately receiv- 
ed so much attention, and has been so ably and copiously illus- 
trated, that little is now left to be said on the subject. The 
present notice is, therefore, confined to an enumeration of the 
several species which fell under our observation during the late 
voyage. Their number will appear small, when compared with 
the collections made on former occasions ; but the extreme 
sterility of the country in the neighbourhood of Port Bowen, 
where the Expedition wintered, together with the short period 
of our stay in those regions, will sufficiently account for this 
circumstance. 

It would perhaps have been desirable, on this occasion, to 
collect into one view the observations of those who have re- 
cently written on the subject, and, together with the additional 
information which this voyage has afforded, to have formed a 
complete Fauna of that portion of the Arctic Regions which has 
been visited by the late Expeditions for the discovery of a 
North-west Passage. This would, however, have necessarily 
far exceeded the prescribed limits of this notice, and probably 
have required much more time to execute it, than the early- 
publication of the Narrative would admit. 

The arrangement and generic names used by Cuvier, in the 
Regne Animal, have been adopted in the account of the Mam- 
malia. 



166 APPENDIX., 



MAMMALIA. 



1. Ursus Maritimus. Polar Bear. 

These animals were frequently met with on floating frag- 
ments of ice, both in Davis' Strait and Baffin's Bay, but none 
were killed until after the arrival of the Expedition at Port 
Bowen. There they visited the ships in considerable numbers, 
and in the course of the winter and ensuing spring eleven were 
killed. Of these the males averaged 8^ cwt., the females about 
7\ cwt., and the largest which was obtained did not exceed 
9 cwt. The very wonderful accounts of the magnitude of these 
animals, which some authors have given, appear extravagant 
and exaggerated, when we observe that the largest of those 
which have been met with in the course of the late voyages 
weighed less than 12 cwt., and did not exceed 8 feet 9 inches 
in length. 

That the gravid females alone hibernate, and that the males 
and unimpregnated females wander about in the neighbourhood 
of the clear water throughout the winter, has been so fully con- 
firmed by the testimony of the Esquimaux on the former, and 
our own experience on the present voyage, that no doubt can 
now remain on this interesting subject. 

2. Canis Lagopus. Arctic Fox. 

Some of these beautiful little animals were caught in traps, 
during the winter, at Port Bowen, and one of them lived in con- 
finement for nearly five months ; but, notwithstanding the kindest 
treatment and attention, it continued wild and untractable to the 
last. It began to cast its winter-coat early in May, the fur about 
the head and sides first falling off, and exposing a short dark 



ZOOLOGY. 167 

brown hair, approaching to a blueish black at the base. It died 
at the end of May, before its summer dress was perfected. 

In some few specimens the tail was perfectly white, agreeing 
with that part of the Linncean specific character, cauda afiice 
concolore^ but in by far the greatest number the hairs at the 
end of the tail were terminated with black. 

A single individual of the sooty variety was taken in Novem- 
ber, a female, agreeing with that described by Dr. Richardson,* 
except that it approached more nearly the size of the other 
variety. Pennant, in his Arctic Zoology, considers this a dis- 
tinct species ; and it has been described, in Shaw's Zoology and 
M'Kenzie's Travels, under the name of Canis Fuliginosus -: its 
identity with the Arctic Fox is, however, now tolerably well 
established. 

In confirmation of what O Fabricius says on the subject, I 
was informed by Lieutenant C. Holboll (an officer of the Danish 
navy, who had resided in Greenland between two and three 
years, for the purpose of collecting subjects of Natural History,) 
that he had taken from the same utter four whelps of the sooty, 
and four of the white kind. 

The only three specimens of the sooty variety which have 
fallen under my observation were, as described by Dr. Richard- 
son, "of an uniform blackish brown colour;" we may add that 
a slight purple lustre is observable in recent specimens only, 
and by a peculiar shade of light. The mixture of short dark 
and white hairs in the face gives it a ferocity of expression very 
different from that of the white variety. 

3. Arvicola Hudsonia. Hudson's Bay Lemming. 

The peculiar formation of the fore-claws of this animal, which 
distinguishes it from its congenors, has been ably pointed out 
by Captain Sabine, in his Appendix to Parry's first voyage. 
They were but rarely met with during the present voyage, and 
only two were caught. Their tracks were sometimes seen 
during the winter, showing that they occasionally venture from 
their burrows, even in the coldest season of the year. 

* Appendix to Pahrt's Second Voyage, p. 302. 



168 APPENDIX. 

4. Lepus glacialis. Polar Hare. 

Abundant on the south shore of Barrow's Strait; and at 
Port Bowen they were occasionally seen during the winter, 
where three were shot. They differed from those described by 
Captain Sabine in the Appendix to Parry's first voyage, in 
having the ears exactly the same length as the head, and the 
whiskers perfectly white. 

5. Cervus tarandus, Rein Deer, 

Was rarely met with during the present voyage. Two were 
shot on the north shore of Barrow's Strait, near Cape Warren- 
der, and a few others were seen on the coast of North Somerset. 

6. Phoca f<etida. Rough Seal. 

A young animal of this species, agreeing with the descrip- 
tions of authors as having attained one year old, was shot at 
Port Bowen in June, 1825. 

Besides this species, which was very numerous in the bays 
along the eastern shore of Regent's Inlet, the P. barbata and P. 
Grcenlandica were seen in considerable numbers on the packed 
ice of Davis' Strait and Baffin's Bay ; but none were shot. 

7. Baljena mysticetus, Black Whale, 

Was rarely seen in the course of our progress through the 
ice in Baffin's Bay ; but in Prince Regent's Inlet they were found 
in considerable numbers. A young whale was killed in June, 
1 825, for the purpose of supplying the ships with oil. By means 
of powerful purchases, it was drawn up on the fixed ice, and 
stripped of its ^blubber. This process had scarcely been com- 
pleted, when the ice broke adrift and floated off with the car- 
cass ; thus preventing any further examination, which might 
have afforded some very interesting information. 



^OOLOGY. 169 

8. Monodon monoceros. Narwhal. 

Very numerous in Baffin's Bay and Prince Regent's Inlet, 
but none were killed. The head and horn of one was found 
above high-water mark at the head of Port Neill. The horn 
measured 8 feet, and at the base was 8 inches in circumference, 
gradually tapering to a fine point, completing 8 spiral turns 
from the base to the tip. It was very solid, except about five 
or six inches from the base, and weighed 15^ lbs. 

In the head the rudiments of the second horn, mentioned by 
Fabricius and Cuvier, were not discernible. 

Besides the eight species of Mammalia above enumerated, 
the delfihinafiterus beluga, or white whale, was seen in great 
numbers along the shores of North Somerset and the neighbour- 
hood of Jackson's Inlet. The trichecus rosmarus, or walrus, 
was also occasionally met with ; but as none of either species 
were taken, no additional information has been obtained. 



BIRDS. 

The second edition of M. Temminck's Manuel d' Ornithologie 
has been followed, both in the arrangement and generic names 
used by him, with a single exception ; and the following authors 
are occasionally referred to : — 

Gmelin, Systema Natur<e Linnxi. 
Fabricii, Fauna Grasnlandica. 
Latham's Index Ornithologicus. 
Latham's General Synopsis of Birds. 
Pennant's Arctic Zoology. 
Pennant's British Zoology, 2nd Edition. 
Sabine's Memoir on the Birds of Greenland. 
Sabine, in Supplement to Parry's First Voyage^ 
Sabine's appendix to Franklin's Journey. 
Richardson's Appendix to Parry's Second Voyage. 
22 



170 APPENDIX. 

I. Falco Islandicus. Jerfalcon. 

Falco Islandicus. Gmel. i. p. 275. Lath. Ind. Orn. i. p. 32. Temm. p„ 

17. Greenl. Birds, No. 1. 
White Jerfalcon. Lath. Syn. i. p. 83, and Supp. p. 21. 

This bird, of which but a solitary individual had been met 
with during the three former voyages, was seen frequently 
during the present. A pair, in mature summer plumage, flew 
past the ship in September, 1 824, in Lancaster Sound, corres- 
ponding with the descriptions of authors above quoted. An- 
other, which was seen in September, 1825, in lat. 74°. N., on 
the return of the expedition to Baffin's Bay, accorded nearly 
with the description of the young bird in Temminck's Manuel, 
p. 18, and commonly known as the falco gyrfalco of Gmel. i. p. 
275, and Lath. Ind. Orn. i. p. 32. 

2. Strix nyctea. Snowy Owl. 

Strix nyctea. Gmel. i. p. 291. Lath. Ind. Orn. i. p. 57. Temm. p. 82. 

Fabr. p. 60. Supp. to Parry's First Voyage, p. cxciii. App. to 

Parry's Second Voyage, p. 342. 
Snowy Owl, and White Owl. Arct. Zool. ii. p. 233. Lath. Syn.i.p. 132. 

Was rarely seen, and none were shot. The half of one was 
found near Port Bowen, the remaining part having, as we sup- 
posed, been devoured by a fox, who left us nothing but the 
head and right side of his victim. This individual, as well as 
the few others which have been seen, were all in the state of 
plumage described by Fabricius ; but none of the mature birds, 
described by Temminck and others as being of a pure white, 
have ever been observed on either of the voyages. Fabricius 
mentions that they are frequently found dead. 

3. Corvus corax. Haven. 

Corvus Corax. Gmel. i. p. 364. Lath. Ind. Orn. i. p. 150. Temm. p.. 

107. Fabr. p. 62. Jipp. to Parry's Second Voyage, p. 343. 
Baven. Lath. Syn. i. p. 367. Jlrct Zool. ii. p. 245. 



ZOOLOGY. 171 

Has been found in the most northern parts of the Arctic 
regions visited by the expeditions. A pair took up their winter 
residence in the high cliffs of PortBowen, and occasionally ap- 
proached the ships in search of food. 

During the winter they were frequently observed to have a 
white ring round the neck, caused by the accumulated encrust- 
ments of the vapour of their own breath, and giving them a very 
singular appearance. 

Winter produced no effect on their plumage, nor did they dif- 
fer in any respect from the European bird. 

4. Plectrophanes Lapponica. (Meyer.) Lajiland Finch. 

Emberiza calcarata. Temm. p. 322. Jpp. to Parry's Second Voyage, p. 

345. 
Fringilla Lapponica. Gmel. i. p. 900. Lath. Ind. Orn. i. p. 440. Fabr. 

p. 119. 
Lapland finch. Arct. Zool. ii. p. 377. 

In the midst of the confusion which prevails to this day in re- 
spect to the arrangement of this bird, the experience which the 
late voyages have afforded induces me to adopt that of M. 
Meyer. 

I am unable, in this instance, to accede to the opinion of M. 
Temminck in arranging it with the snow-bunting, because in its 
habits it differs essentially from it, while its external characters 
separate it most decidedly from emberiza. Both in its characters 
as well as habits, it unquestionably agrees more nearly with the 
lark than with any other known genus. It has the long hind nail of 
the latter; like it, it soars in the air, sings most sweetly on the 
wing, and invariably rests or runs upon the ground, never alight- 
ing upon prominences like the snow-bunting, which will fly 
from stone to stone, chirping like many others of its congeners. 

The form of its bill, however, and the acuminate shape of 
its wings, exclude it from the genus alauda ; and as it cannot 
with propriety be placed in any other, the necessity of forming 
a new genus, intermediate between the. lark and bunting, seems 
sufficiently imperative. 



172 APPENDIX. 

They are more rarely met with than the snow-bunting, arriv- 
ing later and returning to the southward sooner, as has been 
observed by O. Fabricius. 

The very accurate and minute description of this bird by Dr. 
Richardson and M. Temminck, as above quoted, render any 
further remark unnecessary. 

5 Emberiza nivalis. Snow-bunting. 

Emberiza nivalis. Gmel. i. p. 866. Lath. hid. Orn. i. p. 397. Temm. 

p. 319. Fabr. p. 117. Greenl. Birds, No. 5. App. to Parry's 

Second Voyage, p. 343. 
Snow-bunting. Brit. Zo'ol. i. p. 444. Arct. Zoo/, ji. p. 355. Lath. Syn. 

Hi. p. 161. 

Although it has become necessary to form a new genus for 
the proper arrangement of the Lapland finch, I can by no means 
agree with M. Meyer in placing the snow-bunting in it. Its ex- 
ternal characters referring it, without doubt, to the genus embe- 
riza, a slight dissimilarity of habits is certainly not sufficient to 
remove it from a place it has so long undisputedly held in the 
system. M. Temminck has formed of these two birds a second 
section, differing from the buntings, properly so called, in hav- 
ing " Pongle derriere long, foiblement arque." In this there 
must be some mistake ; the hind nail of the snow-bunting is 
neither longer nor straighter than many of its congeners, for 
instance, the E. citrinella. 

They were always amongst the first birds that returned in 
the spring; their earliest arrival was about the middle of April, 
thus preceding all others, except the grouse, by nearly a month. 
We found them breeding at the Whale-fish Islands early in 
July, and a nest with six eggs was brought on board by one of 
the officers : it was formed of dried grass, and lined with fea- 
thers, which were covered with a fine white down. The eggs 
were of a cream colour, thickly covered with small reddish- 
brown marks and spots. 

6. Tetrao rupestris. Rock Grouse. 

Tetrao rupestris. Gmel. i. p. 751. Lath. Ind. Orn. ii. p. 640. Supp.tv 
Parry's First Voyage, p. exev. App. to Parry's Second Voyage, p-. 
348. 

Bock Grouse. Arct, Zool. ii. No. 184. Lath. Sy?i. Snpp. p. 217. 



zooLocn?. 173 

Several birds of this species were shot at Port Bowen in 
October, 1 824, in perfect winter plumage. In these individuals, 
the female birds were marked with the black line from the beak, 
through the eye, as strongly as the males ; and a mark which, 
I believe, has hitherto been considered peculiar to the male bird. 

On their return in March they were still in perfect winter 
plumage, and the black line through the eye of both the male 
and female birds was as conspicuous as in those shot in the 
autumn. It was, however, afterwards found on the females in 
every stage of obliteration as the season advanced ; and in the 
last few which were shot, near the end of May, it had wholly dis- 
appeared, agreeing then with Captain Sabine's description of 
birds killed at Melville Island about the same period of the year. 
In some of these last few the summer plumage was beautifully 
and distinctly seen, by removing the winter covering, which 
only partially concealed it, and had not yet moulted. 

Captain Sabine, in the work above referred to, has already 
pointed out characters by which this and the two following 
species can be distinguished from each other in their various 
plumages. 

7. Tetrao lagopus. Ptarmigan. 

Tetrao lagopus. Gmel. i. p. 749. Lath. Ind. Orn. u. p. 639. Fabr. p. 114. 

Supp. to Parry's First Voyage, p. cxcvii. App. to Parry's Secoiid 

Voyago, p. 350. 
Ptarmigan. Jlrct. Zool. ii. p. 315. Lath. Syn. iv. p. 741. 

Was shot at Port Bowen as late in the year as the 16th of No- 
vember, 1824, in company with the T. albus, and returned from 
the south about the middle of March, continuing to arrive in 
considerable numbers until nearly the end of April. 

During the last week in March about sixty birds of this 
species were shot, in which, as in the preceding species, no dif- 
ference could be discerned in the plumage of the male and female, 
the black band through the eye being equally distinct in both. 
I had the opportunity of examining between twenty and thirty 
female birds in a more advanced period of the season, showing 



1 74 APPENDIX. 

it in different degrees of distinctness, and subsequently many 
from which it had totally disappeared. 

• After the very marked succession of appearances, which I 
have been enabled to follow through above two hundred indivi- 
duals, I can entertain no doubt of every female of both this and 
the preceding species being marked with the black band through 
the eye as strongly as the male in the winter season and in high 
northern latitudes. Fabricius mentions that in the winter time, 
in Greenland, the rudiments of this mark were observable on 
the female bird. 

Nearly all the birds of this species had fourteen black and 
two superincumbent white feathers on the tail ; but occasional 
individuals were found with sixteen black and the two superin- 
cumbent white feathers, which evidently shows that the number 
of tail feathers can never be used as a specific distinction, and 
in some measure accounts for the difference of opinion amongst 
-authors on this subject. 

There is also a remarkable peculiarity in the anatomy of this 
bird, which merits a passing notice. In all the gallinaceous 
tribe, the intestina caeca are very large, but in this bird they are 
much more extensive than, I believe, in any of the others. 
Originating about five inches from the vent, they follow all the 
convolutions of the direct canal to rather more than two-thirds 
of its length, and terminate in a white blunt point, perfectly un- 
connected with any part of the intestines for about two inches 
from the end. The whole of the rest of the caeca are joined to 
the direct gut by a strong and very vascular mesenteric mem- 
brane. I am not aware whether either the preceding or follow- 
ing species are the same, not having had an opportunity of ex- 
amining them after I observed it in this species. In the com- 
mon partridge of England, the caeca are only about one-third the 
length of the main gut. Their use, in the economy of the bird, 
has yet to be determined by the physiologist. 

8. Tetrao albus. Willow Partridge. 
Tetraoalbus. Gmel. i. p. 750. Lath. Ind. Orn. ii. p. 639. 
Tetrao saliceti. Temm. p. 471. -App. to Franklin's Journey, p. 681. 

App. to Parry's Second Voyage, p. 347. 
Willow Partridge. Heame's Travels^. 338. 
White Grouse. Lath. Syn. iv. p. 743. Arct. Zool, ii. p. 308. 



ZOOLOGY. 175 

Was rarely met with during the present voyage, and but few 
were shot The two preceding species retire late in the autumn 
to the southward to winter; but this bird has been found in very 
high north latitudes throughout the year On this occasion 
they were shot in every winter month except January ; and at 
Igloolik, where they were more numerous, they were occasion- 
ally seen throughout the winter ; which shows that, although 
probably the greatest number of them migrate further south, 
yet many remain. The colour of the birds corresponding so 
perfectly with the snow, in which they bury themselves to a 
level with its surface, renders it very difficult to distinguish 
them, and accounts in some measure for so few having been 
shot. 

Those which were killed during the winter were found to be 
in excellent condition; their crops contained principally the 
seed-vessels of the saxifraga ofifiositifolia. 

M. Temminck has thought proper to change the name of 
this bird to T. saliceti, for reasons which do not appear to me 
sufficiently obvious; I have therefore ventured to employ that 
which it received from Linnaeus, and by which it has been suffi- 
ciently well distinguished by almost every other modern author. 

9. Tringa maritima. 

Tringa maritima. Gmel. i. p. 678. Lath. Ind. Orn. ii. p. 731. Temm. 
p. 619. Greenl. Birds, No. 7. Supp. to Parry's First Voyage, p. ccL 
Striated Sandpiper. Arct. Zool. ii. p. 472. Lath. Syn. v. p. 176. 

Did not arrive in the neighbourhood of Port Bowen until early 
in June ; at that time the birds of one year old Were found in 
the same flocks with the mature birds. 

They differ in no respect from the English bird. 

10. Charadrius pluvialis. Golden Plover. 

Charadrius pluvialis. Gmel. i. p. 688. Lath. Ind. Orn. ii. p. 740. Temm. 

p. 535. 
Golden Plover. Arct. Zool. ii. p. 483, No. 399. 

Arrived in their winter plumage at Port Bowen about the 



176 APPENDIX. 

middle of May. In the course of the season they were shot in 
every state of change, to their perfect summer plumage ; in 
which state they are the C. afiricarius of authors. 

11. Phalaropus hyperboreus. Red Phalarofie. 

Phalaropus hyperboreus. Lath. Ind. Orn. ii. p. 775. Temm. p. 709. 

Greenl. Birds, No. 11. 
Red Phalarope. Brit. Zool. ii. p. 125. Arct. Zool. ii. p. 494. 

A small flock of these birds alighted under the lee of the ship, 
during a strong breeze of wind, and were, so fearless of danger 
as to approach within a few yards of her, feeding on small 
shrimps, which were seen in great numbers. At this time we 
were sixty miles from the nearest land, (Disco.) 

We found them breeding at Whale-fish Islands, but saw no 
more of them after leaving the coast of Greenland. 

12. Phalaropus platyrhinchus. Flat-billed Phalarofie. 

Phalaropus platyrhinchus. Temm. p. 712. Greenl. Birds, No. 12. 
Supp. to Parry's First Voyage, p. cci. App. to Parry's Second 
Voyage, p. 355. 

This bird, which has been so ably extricated by M. Temminck 
and Captain Sabine from the confusion into which it had fallen, 
was but rarely met with during the present voyage ; a circum- 
stance rather remarkable, from their having been found both at 
Igloolik to the southward, and at Melville Island to the north- 
ward, breeding in great numbers. 

The peculiar plumage of the female bird, which has been so 
■ accurately pointed out by Captain Sabine, makes her remark-, 
able as being one of the very few instances in which the female 
bird is known to excel the male in beauty of appearance. 

13. Sterna arctiga. Arctic Tern. 

Sterna Arctica. Temm. p. 742. Supp. to Parry's First Voyage, p. ccii. 

App. to Parry's Second Voyage, p. 356. 
Sterna hirundo. Greenl. Birds, No. 17. 



ZOOLOGY. 177 

Abundant in Baffin's Bay and Davis' Strait ; but were only seen, 
during the present voyage, in the mature plumage of summer. 

14. Larus glaucus. Glaucous Gull. 

Larus glaucus. Gmel. i. p. 600. Lath. Ind. Orn. ii. p. 814. Fabr. p. 100. 

Temm. p. 757. Greenl. Birds, No. 19. Supp. to Parry's First 

Voyage, p. cciii. 
Glaucous Gull. Arct. Zool. ii. p. 532. Lath. Syn. vi. p. 374. 

Some remarkably fine specimens of this very magnificent bird 
were shot early in June, 1825, in the neighbourhood of Port 
Bowen. The astonishing size which these birds, under certain 
circumstances, attain, fully justifies the assertion of M. Tem- 
minck, that theyare the largest of the known gulls, although 
Captain Sabine has shown, in the Supplement above referred 
to, that the average size of the L. marinus rather exceeds that 
of the glaucus. 

The dimensions of a pair which were killed on the 11th of 
June, being the largest which were shot, and surpassing any 
which have yet been recorded, are selected for insertion here:— 

Length. Extent. Tarsus. Beak. Weight. 

is. i?r. iw. in. lb. oz. 

Male .... 33 68 3.4 4.1 4 11 

Female . . . 31.5 65 3.4 3.9 4 7 

The wings of the male bird extended more than an inch be- 
yond the tail, which is not "usually the case in this species. 

They were rarely met with in our progress up Davis' Strait 
and Baffin's Bay; but were found in considerable numbers to- 
wards the end of July, breeding on the ledges of the high and 
precipitous cliffs of the shores of North Somerset. At this 
time the young birds were seen covered with a down of a deep 
lead colour. 

15. Larus argent atus. (Black-winged) Silvery gull. 

Larus argentatus. Gmel. i. p. 600. Temm. p. 764. App. to Parry's 

Second Voyage, p. 358. 
Silvery Gull. Arct. Zool. ii. p. 533. Lath. Syn. vi. p. 375- 

23 



t-~ 



178 APPENDIX. 

All the birds of this species which were shot during the pre- 
sent voyage, had the usual dark markings on the flag-feathers 
of the wings. An immature bird, killed in July, was marked by 
a broad band across the tail, of a dark brown colour, mixed 
with small white spots near the extremity. Spurious wing, 
and primary covertures, marked longitudinally with the same 
colour ; in every other respect it agreed perfectly with M. 
Temminck's description of the mature bird in summer. 

None of the variety described by Captain Sabine, in the 
Memoir on the Birds of Greenland, were shot; and if any were 
seen, they were mistaken for the preceding species, which they 
so nearly resemble. 

16. Larus eburneus. Ivory Gull. 

Larus eburneus. Gmel. i. p. 596. Lath. Ind. Orn. ii. p. 816. Temm, 
p. 769. Greenl. Birds, No. 21. Supp. to Parry's First Voyage, p. 
cciv. 

Ivory Gull. Arct. Zool. ii. p. 529. Lath. Syti. vi. p. 377. 

Very numerous in Davis' Strait and Baffin's Bay. They were 
obtained in every variety of plumage, from the young to the 
mature bird. The plumage of the bird of the first year is de- 
scribed by M. Temminck, as above referred to, with minute pre- 
cision, and that of the second year by Captain Sabine, in the 
Memoir on the Birds of Greenland above quoted. 

The naked circle round the eye is, in the young bird, of a 
dark brown colour, in which a very slight tinge of red is obser- 
vable : as the bird advances towards maturity, the red is found 
to prevail, and the old bird is of a dull red colour. This, I 
imagine, is not the case until the fourth year; for many birds, 
in mature plumage, were found with this very much obscured. 
Of about seventy examined by me, only six were found to have 
the red circle unmixed with brown. 

Average length of the male, 19 inches, female 18, and young 
bird 17 inches; tarsus 1.5 



ZOOLOGY. 179 

17. Larus tridactylus. Kittiwake. 

Larus tridactylus. Lath. Ind. Orn. ii. p. 817. Temm. p. 774. Fabr. p, 

98. Greenl. Birds, No. 22. 
Kittiwake. Arct. Zool. ii. p. 529. Brit. Zool. ii. p. 186. ZaiA. Styn. vi. 

p. 393. 

By far the most numerous of the gull tribe inhabiting that 
portion of the Arctic Regions which has been visited by the 
late Expeditions. They were found breeding on the shores of 
North Somerset in great numbers. Large flocks of immature 
birds were seen on the return of the Expedition to the south in 
September 1825, attended by the lestris fiomarinus in consider- 
able numbers. 

18. Lestris parasiticus. Arctic Lestris. 

-. Lestris parasiticus. Temm. p. 796. Greenl. Birds, No. 24. Snpp. to 
Parry's First Voyage, p. ccvi. App. to Parry's Second Voyage, 
p. 361. 

Larus parasiticus. Gmel. i. p. 601. Lath. Ind. Orn. ii. p. 819. 

Arctic Gull. Arct. Zool. ii. p. 530. Brit. Zool. ii. p. 179. Lath. Syn. 
vi. p. 389. 

19. Lestris pomarinus. Pomarine Lestris. 

Lestris pomarinus. Temm. p. 793. Supp. to Parry's First Voyage, p. 
ccvi. App. to Parry's Second Voyage, p. 361. 

Many of these birds were seen at the Whale-fish Islands early 
in July ; where it is probable they breed. 

It is somewhat remarkable that it should have escaped the 
notice of Fabricius ; yet it is hardly possible that he could have 
confounded it with the preceding species, although some 
authors have been led into this mistake by not having seen 
specimens of both. I am not aware of its ever having yet been 
enumerated amongst the birds of Greenland, although they 
were seen by us in considerable numbers whilst off" that coast. 

Their mode of living is similar to that of the fiarasiticua, 
which accounts for their being found constant attendants on 
the flocks of young kittiwakes, as already mentioned. They 



hr- 



180 APPENDIX. 

are more numerous than the parasiticus, and undergo similar 
changes of plumage, from the nest to maturity. 

20. Procellaria glacialis. Fulmar Petrel. 

Procellaria glacialis. Gmel. i. p. 562. Lath. Ind. Orn. ii. p. 823. Temm. 

p. 802. Fabr. p. 86. 
Fulmar Petrel. Lath. Syn. iv. p. 403. Arct. Zool. ii. p. 534. Brit. 

Zool. ii. p. 203. 

21. Anas spectabilis. King Duck. 

Anas spectabilis. Gmel. i. p. 507. Lath. Ind. Orn. ii. p. 485. Temm. 

p. 851. Fabr. p. 63. 
King Duck. Brit. Zool. ii. p. 246. Arct. Zool. ii. p. 554. Lath. Syn. vi. 

p. 473. 

This and the two following species of ducks arrived in great 
numbers early in June, in the neighbourhood of Port Bowen. 
Few were shot, for as the season advanced they proceeded 
northward, to the islands, to breed. 

22. Anas mollissima. Eider Duck. 

Anas mollissima. Gmel. i. p. 514. Lath. Ind. Orn. ii. p. 845. Fabr. 

p. 68. Temm. p. 848. 
Eider Duck. Brit. Zool. ii. p. 243. Arct. Zool. ii p. 553. Lath. Syn, 

vi. p. 470. 

23. Anas glacialis. Long-tailed Duck. 

Anas glacialis. Gmel. i. p. 529. Lath. Ind. Orn. ii. p. 864. Temm. 

p. 860. 
Long-tailed Duck. Brit. Zool. ii. p. 268. Arct. Zool. ii. p. 566. Lath. 

Syn. vi. p. 528. 

24. Colymbus septentrionalis. Red-throated Diver. 

Colymbus septentrionalis. Gmel. i. p. 586. Lath. Ind. Orn. ii. p. 801. 

Fab\v. p. 94. Temm. p. 916. Greenl. Birds, No. 16. 
Red-throated Diver. Brit. Zool. ii. p. 169. Arct. Zool. ii. p. 52Q 

Lath. Syn. vi. p. 344. 



Z00L0GF. 181 

A single individual, which was shot at the Whale-fish Islands, 
agreed perfectly with the description of authors. It was rare- 
ly seen afterwards. 

25. Uria Brunnichii. Brunnich's Guillemot. 

Uria Brunnichii. Greenl. Birds, No. 14. Temm. p. 924. Supp. to 
Parry's First Voyage, p. ccix. App, to Parry's Second Voyage, p. 
377. 

Were found breeding at the Whale-fish Islands, in considera- 
ble numbers, early in July. They agreed in every particular 
with the description given in the Memoir on the Birds of Green- 
land above quoted, except that the mark on the upper mandi- 
ble was, in all the individuals I have seen, of a greenish yel- 
low. 

They arrived in the neighbourhood of Port Bowen early in 
June, and were found in company with the three preceding 
species of ducks. At this time several were shot with the 
throat and neck perfectly white, in others the feathers on these 
parts were black tipped with white, giving them a mottled ap- 
pearance; but in the greatest number they were in perfect 
summer plumage. This is sufficient to shew that they un- 
dergo similar changes from season as the U. troile, as had been 
anticipated. 

26. Uria grylle. Black Guillemot. 

Uria grylle. Lath. bid. Orn. ii. p. 797. Fabr. p. 92. Temm. p. 925. 

Greenl. Birds, No. 15. Supp. to Parry's First Voyage, p. ccix. 

App. to Parry's Second Voyage, p. 377. 
Black Guillemot. Brit. Zool. ii. p. 163. Arct. Zool. ii. p. 516. Lath. 

Syn. vi. p. 332. 

Abundant in all parts of the Arctic Regions visited by the Ex- 
peditions. 

27. Uria alle. Little Auk. 
Uria alle. Temm. p. 928. 



182 APPENDIX. 

Aka alle. Gmel. i. p. 554. Lath. Ind. Orn. ii. p. 795. Fabr. p. 84. 

Greenl. Birds, No. 13. 
Little Auk. Brit. Zool. ii.No. 233. Arct. Zool. ii. p. 512. Lath. Syn. 

v. p. 327. 

Large flocks of these birds were met with in the northern 
parts of Baffin's Bay, whither they resort in vast numbers to 
breed. 

They agreed with Temminck's description, except that the 
small white dot above the eye has escaped his notice. An in- 
dividual, shot in September, had the cheeks, chin, and upper 
part of the throat perfectly white, breast and lower part of the 
throat mottled with black and white, the feathers on these 
parts being black tipped with white ; in other respects agree- 
ing with the description of birds in their mature summer plu- 
mage. There is no difference in the plumage of the young and 
mature bird, as has been asserted. 

28. Mormon frateroula. Puffin Auk. 

Mormon fratercula. Temrn. p. 933. 

Alca Arctica. Gmel. i. p. 549. Lath. Ind. Orn. ii. p. 792. Fabr. p. 83. 

Puffin Auk. Arct. Zool. ii. p. 511. Lath. Syn. v. p. 314. 

Abundant at the Whale-fish Islands, where they were found 
early in July, breeding in holes in the most precipitous and in- 
accessible situations near the sea. The few which were shot 
agreed sufficiently with the description of authors. They 
were not seen by us after leaving the coast of Greenland. 

29. Alca torda. Razor-bill Auk. 

Alca torda. Gmel. i. p. 551. Lath. Ind. Orn. ii. p. 793. Temm. p. 

936. Fabr. p. 78. 
Razor-bill Auk. Arct. Zool. ii. p. 509. Lath. Syn. v. p. 319. 

Abundant on the coast of Greenland. They were found in 
considerable numbers at the Whale-fish Islands, breeding in 
similar situations with the preceding species. All that were 



ZOOLOGY. 18J 

shot were in mature plumage, and agreed perfectly with M. 
Temminck's description. 

The alca pica of Fabricius and other authors is the young 
of this bird. 



FISHES. 



1. Ophidium Parrii. 

Several individuals of a new species of ofihidium were found 
in Baffin's Bay and Prince Regent's Inlet, swimming about 
pieces of ice which had been much worn by the action of the 
sea; the holes and fissures thus made affording them a secure 
retreat from their numerous enemies, to which a disposition to 
swim near the surface exposes them. 

In its general appearance, it approaches more nearly the ofthi* 
dium virideoi Fabricius* than any other of its congeners, but 
differs materially from it in the size of the pectoral fin, which 
in this species is very much larger, and contains between three 
and four times the number of rays of that of the 0. viride. 
There are also other more minute differences, as will be seen by 
the following description : — 

Head. — Very obtuse, being, in its length, depth, and trans- 
verse diameter, equal ; broader than the body, flattened and 
grooved between the eyes, which are lateral, and rather large. 
Irides pearl white. Mouth rather large, placed at the extremi- 
ty of the head, and armed with numerous minute teeth on the 
palate and either jaw ; lower jaw rather the longer, and with- 
out cirri. 

Body. — Three times the length of the head, ensiform, much 
compressed, and gradually tapering towards the tail, which 
is pointed. Neck much arched, giving a greater depth to the 

* Fauna Granlandica, p. 141, No. 99. La CepSde, 0. Unernak, ii. p. 280, 



184 APPENDIX. 

body there than in any other part. Back of a dark greenish- 
brown colour, which is lighter on the sides ; belly before the 
vent white; vent nearer the head; fins partake of the colour 
of that part of the body on which they are inserted. 

F ins. — Dorsal fin, which rises just behind the head, and 
anal fin, which commences immediately behind the vent, unite 
with the caudal, and together consist of ninety-five rays ; of 
which the dorsal and superior half of the caudal contain fifty, 
and the anal and inferior half of the caudal forty-five rays. 
Pectoral fins, which are very large, contain thirty-seven rays, 
and, when stretched backward along the body, extend rather 
beyond the vent, and completely cover the whole of the belly 
and throat. 

They were found to vary in size from 4 to 8 inches : the fol- 
lowing dimensions are of an ordinary-sized fish, from which 
the above description was principally taken. 



8 7 

c whole length 5 . 5 



Inches. Inches. 

Length to the caudal fin . . 4 

„ of the caudal fin . . 

„ of the head ....1.2 -| the length of the body 

„ to the vent ....1.7 

„ of dorsal and ventral fins . 8 each. 
Greatest depth of the body . 1.5 

This species is named in honour of Captain Parry, the dis- 
tinguished commander of the Expedition. 

2. Ophidium viiude. 

Ophidium viride. Fabr. Fauna Grcerdandica, p. 141. 
Ophidium unernak. La Cepede, Histoire JVaturelle des Poissons. ii. p. 
280. 

An individual of this species was taken from the stomach of a 
kittiwake, in a sufficiently perfect state to secure its identity 
with tolerable certainty. It was 3| inches in length, and ac- 
corded with Fabricius's description above referred to. 



ZOOLOGY. 185 

3. Merlangus Polaris. {Leach.) 
Merlangus Polaris. Supp. to Parry's First Voyage, p. ccxi. 

Was found in considerable numbers under similar circumstances 
with the Ofihidium Parrii. They constitute the principal food 
of the numerous sea-fowl which migrate to the Arctic Regions 
in the summer, to breed ; but their most destructive enemy is 
the delfihinafiterus beluga, or white whale : from its persecu- 
tions they have been known to leap on to the ice by hundreds ; 
and on one of these occasions, which occurred near Port Bow- 
en, and was witnessed by one of the officers, sufficient were 
collected to afford several delicious meals to the officers and 
crew of the Expedition. 

It is this fish which Captain Parry mentions in the narrative 
of his second voyage, as. having been collected in great num- 
bers from the pools left by the falling tide, on the rocks at the 
entrance of the Duke of York's Bay.* They are very nume- 
rous in all parts of the Arctic Regions visited by the late Ex- 
peditions. 

There is considerable variation in the number of rays in the 
fins, which seems not to depend on the size of the fish. The 
following, which is the average of a great many, differs slightly 
from those given by Captain Sabine as above referred to : — 
P. 18. V.6. D. 13, 15, 20. A. 17, 21. C. 42 to 48. 

4. Cottus Polaris ? 

Cottus Polaris ? Supp. to Parry's First Voyage, p. ccxiii. 

Two individuals of a very small species of cottus were found 
on the ice near Port Bowen, but in so mutilated a state as to 
preclude the possibility of determining their identity with per- 
fect certainty. They were each nearly 2 inches long. 

* See page 39. 
24 



IS6 APPENDIX. 

o. COTTUS QuADRIOORNIS. 

Cottus quadricornis. Block, Ichthyology, iii. p. 216, plate 108. La 
Cepede, Histoire Naturelle des Poissons, iii. p. 241. Supp. to 
JParry's First Voyage, p. ccxiii. 

Cottus scorpioides. Fabr. Fauna Grcenl. p. 157. 

Found at the Whale-fish Islands in considerable numbers, but 
none were seen after leaving the coast of Greenland. 



Besides the five fish above enumerated, a species oifileuro- 
nectes was seen, and an imperfect skeleton of one was found on 
the ice in Port Bowen, from which it was impossible to deter- 
mine the species. It was probably either the P. glacialis or 
P. stellatus, both of which are mentioned by Richardson* as 
inhabitants of the Polar Sea. 



INSECTS. 



In the following list of Insects, the generic names of P. A. La- 
treille [Genera Crustaceorum et Inseclorum) have been gene- 
rally used, and the arrangement of M. le Chevalier de Lamark 
{Histoire Naturelle des Animaux sans Vertebres) has been fol 
lowed in most cases. 

1. SlMULIUM REPTANS. 

Simulium Reptans. Lam. iii. p. 432. 

Culex Reptans. Fabr. Fauna Grcenl. p. 210, No. 172. 

Found at the Whale-fish Islands in considerable numbers. All 
the specimens examined by me had two white rings on the 
legs ; in this respect agreeing with those found by Fabricius in 
Greenland, and differing from Linnaeus's description of those 
found in Sweden. 

* Appendix to Fbanklin's Journey, p. 724. 



ZOOLOGY. 187 

2. Ctenophora Parrii. 
Ctenophora Parrii. Kirby, in Supp. to Parry's First Voyage, p. ccxviii. 

A single individual was found amongst some plants sent home 
from the Whale-fish Islands, and was the only one taken du- 
ring the voyage, although I have no doubt that they were very 
abundant at that place. It was a female, and agreed exactly 
with the excellent description above referred to. The male 
has not yet been described. 

3. Perdicia rivosa. 

Tipula rivosa. Lam. iii. p. 437, sp. 3. Fabr. Fauna Grant, p. 200. 

Found abundantly in all parts of the Arctic Regions which 
have been visited by the late Expeditions. They are most 
abundant by the sides of lakes and in marshy places. 

4. Culex caspius. 

Culex caspius. Pallas Russesch Jieisen, App. i, p. 23, No. 78. 
Culex pipiens. Fabr. Fauna Grcenl. p. 209. 

This beautiful insect is well described in the works above re- 
ferred to: it is nearly allied to the C. fiifiiens, but is (besides the 
differences noticed by Fabricius) smaller. Its bite is very pain- 
ful and venomous. 

5. Melitjea tullia. 

Papilio tullia. Fabr. Fauna Grcenl. p. 192. 

Taken very abundantly at Port Bowen, and found in all parts 
visited by the late Expeditions. Individuals vary considerably 
in the disposition of the black markings of the wings; but the 
excellent description by Fabricius has been taken from the 
most beautiful and most common of the varieties, and enables 
me, without doubt, to identify the species. 



188 APPENDIX. 

6. BOMBYX SaBINI? 

Bombyx Sabini ? Kirby, in Supp. to Parry's First Voyage, p. ccxv. 

A solitary individual was brought on board, in a very muti- 
lated state, by one of the Esquimaux from the Whale-fish Is- 
lands. It agreed, as far as I was able to make out, with the 
description above referred to; but its identity is doubtful. 

7. Bombus Arcticus. 

Bombus Arcticus. Kirby, in Supp. to Parry's First Voyage, p. ccxvit 
Apis Alpina. Fabr. Fauna Grcenl, p. 199, No. 155. 

All the specimens brought home from Port Bowen are females, 
and correspond exactly with Fabricius's minute and very ac- 
curate description, except that they are smaller — the length of 
the body being only ten lines ; in which they agree, as well as 
in all other points, with those described by Mr. Kirby. 

It is the earliest insect on the wing, and has been found in 
all parts of the Arctic Regions visited by the late Expeditions, 
but is by no means numerous. 

8. Formica rubra. 
Formica rubra. Lam, iv. p. 98. 

Abundant at the Whale-fish Islands; it was also found, on the 
preceding voyage, on several parts of the Melville Peninsula. 

9. Dysdera erythrina. 

Aranea erythrina. Lam. v. p. 97, sp. 3. 
Aranea rufipes. Fabr. Fauna Grcenl. p. 226. 

Abundant at the Whale-fish Islands; it was also found, on a 
former voyage, on the shores of Repulse Bay. 

10. OXYOPES VARIEGATUS. 

Aranea variegata. Lam. v. p. 102, sp. 24. 
Aranea crucigera? Fabr. Fauna Grcenl. p. 228. 

Found abundantly at the Whale-fish Islands. This is probably 
the same species which Fabricius heard of from the inhabitants 



ZOOLOGY. 189 

of Greenland; but not having seen any himself, he has made a 
mistake in calling it the largest, though it certainly is the most 
beautiful of the genus inhabiting Greenland. The A. saccata 
is considerably larger than this. 

11. Lycosa saccata. 

Aranea saccata. Lam. v. p. 103, sp. 27. Fabr. Fauna Grcenl. p. 228. 

The largest and most numerous of the tribe which I have 
met with in the Arctic Regions. It was found at the Whale-fish 
Islands, and, on the preceding voyage, on several parts of the 
Melville Peninsula. 

12. Salticus scenicus. 

Aranea scenica. Lam. v. p. 103, sp. 29. Fabr. Fauna Grcenl. p. 227. 

Found commonly in all parts of the Arctic Regions, frequently 
amongst the ruins of the Esquimaux huts and graves. It is 
very active, and leaps horizontally in a surprising manner. 



Besides the twelve insects above enumerated, a species of 
sfihex and a coleopterous insect were seen; but as none have 
been brought home, I am unable to give them a place here with 
any certainty. There are doubtless many others which have 
not been observed, for in this branch of natural history there 
were not many amongst the officers who collected, and the few 
opportunities of landing which occurred during the summer 
were generally occupied in some more favourite pursuit. 



190 APPENDIX. 



MARINE INVERTEBRATE ANIMALS. 



In the following brief notice of the Marine Invertebrate Ani- 
mals brought home by the late Expedition, the generic ar- 
rangement of M. Le Chevalier de Lamarck ( Histoire JVatu- 
relle des Animaux sans Vertebres) has been followed in every 
instance. 



1. Beroe pileus. 

Eeroe pileus. Fabr. Fauna Greenl. p. 361, No. 354. Supp. to Par- 
ry's First Voyage, p. ccxxi. 

Extremely numerous in Baffin's Bay and Davis' Strait. It 
was observed to emit a beautifully brilliant phosphoric light 
when agitated, rendering the path of the ship through the 
water, on a dark night, surprisingly resplendent. 

2. DlAN^A GLACIALIS. . 

Dianxa glacialis. Supp. to Parry's First Voyage, p. ccxxi. Plate i. fig. 1. 

Abundant in Davis' Strait and Baffin's Bay, but rarely met 
with in Regent's Inlet. 

3. Cyanea Arctica. 

Cyanea Arctica. Lam. ii. p. 519. Supp. to Parry's First Voyage, p. 

ccxxi. 
Medusa capillata. Fabr. Fauna Greenl. p. 364, No. 358. 

4. Ophiura fragilis. 

Ophiura fragilis. Lam. ii. p. 546. Supp. to Parry's First Voyage, p. cexxii. 
Asterias fragilis. Zool. Dan. iii, p. 28, Plate 98. 

Some imperfect specimens of this species were found on the 
ice in Port Bowen. 



ZOOLOGY. I 91 

5. Ophiura filiformis. 

Ophiura filiformis. Lam. ii. p. 546. 

Asterias filiformis. Zool. Dan. ii. p. 24, Plate 59, 

6. Nymphum grossipes. 

Nymphum grossipes. Lam. v. p. 79. Supp. to Parry's First Voyage^ 

p. ccxxv 
Picnogonum grossipes. Fauna Grsenl. p. 229, No. 310. 

Fine specimens of a female and nine young ones were found 
on the ice at Port Bowen. They agreed admirably with the 
description of Fabricius, but differed from the plate in the 
Zool. Dan., in the points mentioned by Captain Sabine, and 
which could not have been taken from the animal under con- 
sideration. 

7. Nymphum hirsutus. 

Nymphum hirsutus. Supp. to Parry's First Voyage, p. ccxxvi. 

Two individuals of this species, which were taken in a dredge 
in Port Bowen, differed in no respect from the description 
above quoted, except that the two fingers of the mandibules 
are armed with numerous minute teeth along the whole of 
their inner edges, and form a most destructive weapon. 

8. Idotea entomon. 

Idotea entomon. Lam. v. p. 159. Supp. to Parry's First Voyage, 
p. ccxxvii. 

Abundant at the Whale-fish Islands, and has been found in 
all parts of the Arctic Regions visited by the late Expeditions. 

9. Idotea Baffini. 

Idotea Baffini. Supp. to Parry's First Voyage, p. 228. Plate i. fig. 4-6, 
A few specimens, which were found on the ice at Port Bow- 



192 APPENDIX. 

en, differ from Captain Sabine's otherwise accurate descrip- 
tion, in having the spines on the second and third segments 
of the body, the longest and strongest ; and all of them being 
much larger than is represented by the very beautiful engra- 
ving. There are also two small spines on the upper plate, 
in which the branchiae are included. 

10. Caprella scolopendroides. 

Caprella scolopendroides. Lam. v. p. 174. 

Grammarus quadrilobatus. Zool. Dan. iii. p. 58, Plate 114, fig. 11, 12, 

Female (young ?) 
Squilla quadrilobata. Zool. Dan. ii. p. 21, Plate 56, fig. 4, 5, 6, Male 

(young ?) 
Squilla lobata. Fabr. Fauna Grsenl. p. 248, No. 225. 

Was found abundantly at Port Bowen, but considerably larger 
than those from which Muller's drawings were taken, and 
nearly as large as the magnified figures. They also differ 
in having a great number of small spines along the back, 
which, however, were not observable on the young ones found 
attached to the antennae of the females. They agreed in all 
other respects. I have therefore considered them to be of the 
same species, as it is probable that Muller's drawing were 
taken from the young. 

1 1. Cyamus ceti. 

Cyamus ceti. Lam. v. p. 176. 

Oniscus ceti. Fabr. Fauna Grsenl. p. 253, No. 230. Zool. Dan. iii. 
p. 69. Plate 119, fig. 13-17. 

Found on a young whale which was killed in June 1825, near 
Port Bowen. 

12. Gammarus Sabini. 

Gammarus Sabini. Leach, in Ross's Voyage, 8vo. ii. p. 178. Supp. 
to Parry's First Voyage,]*, ccxxxii. Plate i. fig. 8-11. 

Found on the ice at Port Bowen, but not very abundantly. 



ZOOLOGY. 193 

13. Gammarus loricatus. 

Gammarus loricatus. Supp. to Parry's First Voyage, p. ccxxxi. Plate 
i. fig. 7. 

In the figure above referred to, each pair of antennae appear to 
be placed on a peduncle, which is not the case. 

They were found in considerable numhers on the ice in Port 
Bowen. 

14. .Gammarus boreus. 
Gammarus boreus. Supp; to Parry's First Voyage, p. ccxxix. 

The specimens which I possess differ from Captain Sabine's 
description in having the superior antennae as long as the head 
and six first segments of the body, and the antennae, legs, and 
tail being fringexl with the most beautifully fine ciliae, particu- 
larly the plates of the tail. The fifth, sixth, and seventh pair 
of legs increase successively in length, the fifth pair being the 
smallest. In all other respects my specimens correspond ex- 
actly with his description. 

15. Talitrus nugax. 

» 
Gammarus nugax. Supp. to Parry's First Voyage, p. ccxxix. 
Cancer nugax. Phipps's Voyage, Plate xii fig. 3. 

By far the most numerous of the crustacea inhabiting the Arc- 
tic Seas. The superior antennae are shorter than the inferior, 
which, according to the arrangement followed in this notice, 
separates it from the genus gammarus^ where it has been in- 
advertently placed. 

16. Talitrus Edvardsii. 

Talitrus Edvardsii. Supp. to Parry's first Voyage, p. ccxxxiii. Plate ii. 
fig. 1-4. 

Was found on the ice at Port Bowen in great numbers. The 
plate and description above referred to are very exact. 

25 



194 appendix. 

17. Nebalia glabra? 

Nebalia glabra. Lam. p. 198. 

Cancer bipes. Fabr. Fauna Grxnl. p. 246, Plate i. fig. 1. 

A single imperfect specimen was taken out of a block of ice,, 
in too mutilated a state to determine its species with certainty, 

18. Mysis flexuosus. 

Mysis flexuosus. Lam. v. p. 200. 

Cancer flexuosus. Mull. Zool. Dan. ii. p. 34, Plate lxvi. 

The long and very delicate antennae of this animal were broken, 
in the only individuals which I have seen. I have no doubt, 
however, of their identity, as they agree in all other points, 
with the descriptions and plate referred to. 

19. CRANGON BOREAS. 

Crangon boreas. Lam. v. p. 201. Supp. to Parry's First Voyage, p. 

ccxxxv. 
Cancer boreas. Phipps's Voyage, p. 194, Plate xi. fig. 1. Zool. Dan. iv. 

p. 14, Plate cxxxii. fig. 1. 

Vary in size from 2 to 6 inches in length, including the an- 
tennae. Ttie plates referred to are tolerably good, and of dif- 
ferent sized animals. All that were taken had the spines on 
the thorax mentioned by Captain Sabine. A few were found 
on the ice at Port Bowen, but on the preceding voyage they 
were taken with nets, in considerable numbers, off the island of 
Igloolik. 

20. Alpheus aculeatus.. 

Alpheus aculeatus. Supp. to Parry's First Voyage, p. ccxxxvii. Plate 

ii. fig. 9, 10. 
Cancer aculeatus. Fabr. Fauna Granl. p. 239, No. 217. 

i 

A single individual was found dead on the ice at Port Bowen. 
They were taken very abundantly, on the preceding voyage, in 
the neighbourhood of Igloolik. 



ZOOLOGY. 195 

The difficulty of preserving the numerous species of mol- 
lusca which are to be found so very abundantly in the Arctic 
Seas, may account in some measure for so few having been 
brought home. To those which are enumerated above, the 
Limacina Arctica and Clio Borealis may be added; they were 
extremely numerous in Davis' Strait # and Baffin's Bay. 



BOTANICAL APPENDIX, 



BY 



PROFESSOR HOOKER, LL.D. F.R.A. & L.S. 

Regius Professor of Botany in the University of Glasgow. 



It has been considered proper here, as in the former Arctic 
Voyages, to add a list of the Plants discovered during the Ex- 
pedition. 

In the present instance, this list has been reduced to as small 
a compass as possible, there being but few plants which had 
not been found during the previous voyages; and of the others, 
a very limited number having seemed to require particular no- 
tice, it has been deemed sufficient to confine their references 
almost wholly to the Botanical Appendices of the two prece- 
ding Narratives of Captain Parry, where the accounts are given 
in detail. 

The small number of species here enumerated is owing to 
the few opportunities that were afforded for the officers to go 
on shore, as well as to the extreme poverty of the soil in those 
places that were visited. 

W. J. Hooker. 

Glasgow, Jpril 8, 1826. 



DIOOTYLEDQNES. 

I. RANUNCULACEiE. 

1. Ranunculus. 

1. Ranunculus nivalis. Linn. Brown in Parry's 1st Voy- 
age, App. p. cclxiv. Hooker in Parry's 2d Voy. App. p. 3, 



BOTANY. 197 

R. sulphureus. Solander and De Cand. ^ 

Hab. Cape Warrender. North Somerset, very abundant. Regent's 
Inlet. 

2. Ranunculus hyperboreus. Rottb. Brown in Parry's 1st 
Voy. App. p. cclxiii. Hooker in Parry's 2d Voy. p. 4. 

Hab. Regent's Inlet. 

3. Ranunculus lapponicus. Linn. De Cand. Syst. Veg. v. 
1. p. 271. ejusd. Prodr. v. 1. p. 35. 

Hab. Whale Islands, scarce. Lieut. Ross. 

This plant has been long known as an inhabitant of Lapland ; and Dr. 
Richardson gathered it in the wooded country of North America, from 
lat. 54° to 64° north. It had not been found by the officers during any 
preceding voyage. Discovered by Lieutenant Ross. 

II. PAPAVERACEJE. 

2. Papaver. 

4. Papaver nudicaule. Linn. Brown in Parry's 1st Voy 
App. cclxx. Hooker in Parry's 2d Voy. App. p. 4. 

Hab. North Somerset. . 

III. CRUCIFERiE. 

3. Cardamine. 

5. Cardamine bellidifolia. Linn. Brown in Parry's 1st Voy. 
App. p. cclxx. Hooker in Parry's 2d Voy. App. p. 9. 

Hab. North Somerset ; gathered by Mr. M'Laren. 

4. Draba. 

6. Draba alpina. Linn. Brown in Parry's 1st Voy. App. p, 
cclxv. Hooker in Parry's 2d Voy. App. p. 5. ^~" 

Hab. Port Bowen. Regent's Inlet. 

7. Draba hirta. Linn. 

Var. 4. 1-3-pollicaris, foliis integerrimis, scapo gracili aphyllo. Hooker 
in Parry's 2d Voy. App. p. 6. 
D. hirta. Fl. Dan. t. 142. 
Hab. Port Bowen. Regent's Inlet. 

5. COCHLEARIA. 

8. Cochlearia fenestrata. Brown in Parry's 1st Voy. App. 
p. cclxvi. Hooker in Parry's 2d Voy. App. p. 7. 



198 APPENDIX. 

Hab. North Somerset. Whale-Fish Islands. Regent's Inlet. 

The specimen gathered in Whale Fish Islands, consisting of a single 
stem, without root-leaves, is twice the size of the common appearance of 
Mr. Brown's Cochlearia fenestrata, and has its stem-leaves ovato-deltoid s 
upon a broad distinct footstalk. 

6. Platypetalum. 

9. Platypetalum purpurascens. Brown in Parry's 1st Voy. 
App. p. cclxvii. 

Braya arctica. Hooker in Parry's 2d Voy. App. p. 7: 

Hab. Port Bowen. 

I am indebted to the kindness of Lieutenant Ross for fine specimens of 
the Platypetalum purpurascens of Mr. Brown, gathered in a former voy- 
age, which have enabled me to detect an important error into which I 
have fallen in the Botanical Appendix to Capt. Parry's 2d Voyage, where 
I have considered this plant as a species of Braya, and described it as B. 
arctica. The habit, indeed, of Platypetalum, Braya, and Parrya, is very 
similar ; and, without the perfect fruit, it becomes very difficult to distin- 
guish them. Of my supposed Braya arctica, there were only specimens 
in flower in the collection, and these flowers were scarcely fully deve- 
loped. In that state, the germen being oblongo-cylindraceous, I rather re- 
ferred the genus to Braya than to Platypetalum. I mentioned, however, 
that the form of its germen was the only point of difference which existed 
between it and Mr. Brown's character of the latter genus. The fully 
formed seed-vessel in Platypetalum is ovate or oblong, and the seeds form 
two rows. 

7. EUTREMA. 

10. Eutrema Edwardsii. Brown in Parry's 1st Voy. App. 
p. cclxx. Hooker in Parry's 2d Voy. App. p. 9. 

Hab. Port Bowen. Regent's Inlet. 

8. Parrya. 

11. Parrya arctica. Brown in Parry's 1st Voy. p. cclxviii. 
Tab. B. Hooker in Parry's 2d Voy. App. p. 8 

Hab. North Somerset ; gathered in considerable abundance by Lieut. 
Ross. 



BOTANY. 1 99 

IV. CARYOPHYLLEJE. 

9. Lychnis. 

12. Lychnis apetala. Linn. Brown in Parry's 1st Voy. 
App. p. cclxx. Hooker in Parry's 2d Voy. App. p. 9. 
Hab. Port Bowen. Regent's Inlet. 

10. Cerastium. 

13 Cerastium alpinum. Linn. Brown in Parry's 1st Voy, 
App. p. cclxx. Hooker in Parry's 2d Voy. App. p. 9. 
Hab. Port Bowen. Whale-Fish Islands. Regent's Inlet. 

11. Arenaria. 

14. Arenaria rubella, Wahl. Hooker in Parry's 2d Voy. 
App. p. 11. 

A. quadrivalvis, Brown in Parry's 1st Voy. App. p. cclxxi. 
Hab. North Somerset. Port Bowen. Regent's Inlet. 

15. Arenaria Rossii. Brown in Parry's 1st Voy. App. p. 
cclxxii. Hooker in Parry's 2d Voy. App. p. 11. 

Hab. Port Bowen ; scarce, and not in flower. Lieut. Ross. 

16. Arenaria Pumilio, Br. MSS. Hooker in Parry's 2d 
Voy. App. p. 11. 

Hab. Whale-Fish Islands, and Port Bowen, not in flower. Lieut. Ross. 

17. Arenaria Peploides Linn. Sp. PI. p. 605. De Cand. 
Prodr. v. 1. p. 418. Hooker in Ace. of Capt Sabine's Plants 
of E. coast of W. Greenland. 

Hab. Whale Islands. Port Bowen. 

Found by Lieut. Ross ; it had not been seen in any of the preceding- 
voyages, but is a native of the coast of Labrador and Hudson's Bay, and 
of Greenland. 

12. Stellaria. 

18. Stellaria Edwardsii. Brown in Parry's 1st Voy. App„ 
p. cclxxi. Hooker in Parry's 2d Voy, App. p. 10. 

S. nitida. Hooker in Scoresby's E. coast of W. Greenland, 
App. p. 441. 
Hab. North Somerset. 

19. Stellaria humifusa. Rottb. in Act. Hafn. v. 10. p. 447. t. 
4. f. 14. Fl. Dan. t. 978. Hooker in Parry's 2d Voy. App. p. 1 1. 

Hab. Whale Islands, very abundant. Lieut. Ross. 



*~ 



500 APPENDIX. 

V. SAXIFRAGES. 
13. Saxifraga. 

20. Saxifraga oppositifolia. Linn. Brown in Parry's 1st 
Voy. App. p. cclxxiii. Hooker in Parry's 2d Voy. App. p. 12. 

Hab. Port Bowen. 

21. Saxifraga Hirculus. Linn. Brown in Parry's 1st Voy. 
App. p. cclxxiii. Hooker in Parry's 2d Voy. App. p. 12. 

Hab. Port Bowen. North Somerset. Regent's Inlet. 

22. Saxifraga flagellaris. Sternb. Brown in Parry's 1st 
Voy. App. p. cclxxiii. 

•Hab. North Somerset. Regent's Inlet. 

This plant, although found plentifully at Melville Island, does not appear 
to have been seen by any of the officers during the second voyage. 

23. Saxifraga stellaris. Linn. 
Hab. Whale-Fish Islands. 

The flowers of this plant are very small and imperfect, and it ap- 
proaches very nearly to the following species, S. foliolosa of Brown in 
Parry's 1st Voyage. 

24. Saxifraga foliolosa. Brown in Parry's 1st Voy. App. p. 
cclxxy. Hooker in Parry's 2d Voy. App. p. 13. 

Hab. North Somerset ; Lieut. Ross. 

25. Saxifraga tricuspidata. Rottb. in Act. Hafn. v. 10. p. 
446. t. 6. n. 21. Fl. Dan. t. 976. Brown in Parry's 1st Voy. 
App. p. cclxxiv. Hooker in Parry's 2d Voy. App. p. 13. 

Hab. Cape Warrender; also the Whale Island; but not in flower 
there. Lieut. Ross. 

26. Saxifraga nivalis. Linn. Brown in Parry's 2d Voy. 
App. p. cclxv. Hooker in Parry's 2d Voy. App. p. 13. 

Hab. Port Bowen. Regent's Inlet. 
', 27. Saxifraga csespitosa. Linn. 

Var. surculis nullis, foliis plerumque trifidis subciliatis, caule uni-tri« 
floro, calyce nigro-pubescente glanduloso. Hooker in Parry's 2d Voy. 
App. p. 13. 

S. uniflora, Brown in Parry's 2d Voy. App. p. cclxv. 

Hab. Port Bowen. Regent's Inlet. 

This is that variety which Mr. Brown, in his Appendix to the 2d Voy- 
age, has called £. unijlora. But the number of flowers on its scape is 
very variable. 

28. Saxifraga rivularis, Linn. Hooker in Parry's 2d Voy. 
App. p. 13. 



BOTANY. 201 

S. hyperborea. Brown in Parry's 1st Voy. A pp. p. cclxv. 
Hab. Whale-Fish Islands. 

29. Saxifraga cernua. Linn. Brown in Parry's 1st Voy. 
App. p. cclxxv. Hooker in Parry's 2d Voy. App. p. 14. 

Hab. Port Bowen. Regent's Inlet. 

14. Chrysosplenium. 

30. Chrysosplenium alternifolium. Linn. Brown in Par- 
ry's 1st Voy. App. p. cclxxv. Hooker in Parry's 2d Voy. 
App. p. 14. 

Hab. North Somerset, scarce. Lieut. Ross. 

VI. ROSACEA. 

15. Dryas. 

31. Dryas integrifolia. Vahl. Brown in Parry's 1st Voy. 
App. p. cclxxv. Hooker in Parry's 2d Voy. App. p. 1 5. 

D. tenella. Pursh. 

Hab. Whale-Fish Islands. Regent's Inlet. 

Plants of this species, brought by Mr. Goldie from Anticosti, have been 
cultivated for two years in the Botanic Garden at Glasgow, where they 
still retain all their characters. 

16. POTENTILLA. 

32. Potentilla anserina. Linn. 

S~. Grenlandica. (De Cand. Prodr. v. 2. p. 582) glabriuscu- 
la, nana, foliis multo minoribus paucijugis, foliolis obovatis 
rubro-virentibus subtus niveis. 

P. anserina, Grcenlandica. Tratt. Syn. Bot. P. iv. p. 13. 

Hab. Whale-Fish Islands. 

So different in appearance is this from our common P. anserina, that 
from the single specimen I had at first the opportunity of seeing, and of 
which the blossom was also unopened, I was induced not only to consider 
it different from that plant, but also to believe, that it rather belonged to 
the genus Sieversia than Potentilla, so much did it resemble specimens of 
S. JRossii. Lieut. Ross, however, was good enough afterwards to communi- 
cate to me other specimens, together with his observations made upon the 
living individuals, by which he clearly proved it to be not only a Potentil- 
la, but P. anserina, in that state wherein Professor Giesecke found it in 
Greenland, and which both Trattinick and De Candolle have described as 
their var. Grcenlandica. 

26 



202 APPENDIX. 

The leaves of the smaller specimens are not above an inch and a half in 
length ; those of the largest three inches, above quite glabrous, the under- 
side white, with a pubescence so short, so minute, and so dense, as to ap- 
pear to arise from a pulverulent substance. The scape is generally quite 
glabrous, but sometimes there are a few appressed hairs at the upper ex- 
tremity. Calyx altogether glabrous, its alternate smaller leaflets lanceo- 
lato-elliptical obtuse ; all of them, as are the margins of the leaves, purple. 

When in full flower, the segments of the calyx are recurved; as they 
are also in a specimen, given me by Dr. Richardson, which he had gather- 
ed in Arctic America. 

33. Potentilla pulchella. Brown in Parry's IstVoy. App. 
p. cclxxvii. Hooker in Parry's 2d Voy. App. p. 15. 

Hab. North Somerset and Regent's Inlet. 

VII. ONAGRARI.&. 

17. Epilobium. 

34. Epilobium latifolium, Linn. Hooker in Scoresby's Pi. 
of E. coast of W. Greenland, App. p. 410, and in Parry's 2d 
Voy. App. p. 16. 

Hab. Whale Islands. Port Bowen, and coast of North Somerset, but 
not in flower at either place. Lieut. Ross. 

VIII. COMPOSITE. 

18. Leontodon. 

35. Leontodon palustre. Smith. Brown in Parry's 1st Voy. 
App. p. cclxxviii. Hooker in Parry's 2d Voy. App. p. 17. 

Hab. North Somerset. 

19. Cineraria. 

36. Cineraria congesta. Brown in Parry's 1st Voy. App. p, 
cclxxix. Hooker in Parry's 2d Voy. App. p. 17. 

Hab. Port Bowen. Regent's Inlet. 

20. Antennaria. 

37. Antennaria alpina. Brown in Parry's 1st Voy. App. p, 
cclxxix. Hooker in Parry's 2d Voy. App. p. 17. 

Gnaphalum Alpinum. Linn. 
Hab. Whale-Fish Islands. 

21. Chrysanthemum. 

38. Chrysanthemum integrifolium. Richardson in Frank- 



BOTANY. 203 

lin's Journal, App. p. 749. Hooker in Parry's 2d Voy. App. 
p. 18. 
Hab. North Somerset. Regent's Inlet. 

IX. MONOTROPE.E. 

22. Pyrola. 

39. Pyrola rotundifolia. Linn. Brown in Ross's Voy. ed. 2. 
p. 192. Hooker in Parry's 2d Voy. App. p 19. 

Hab. Whale Islands, not in perfect flower. Lieut. Ross. 

X. VACCINIE.E. 

23. Vaocinium. 

40. Vaccinium uliginosum. Linn. Hooker in Parry's 2d 
Voy. App. p. 19. 

Hab. Whale-Fish Islands. 

XI. ERICINEiE. 

24 Ledum. 

41. Ledum palustre. Linn. Hooker in Parry's 2d Voy. 
App. p. 19. 

Hab. Whale-Fish Islands. 

25. Azalea. 

42. Azalea procumbens. Linn. Hooker in Parry's 2d Voy, 
App. p. 19. 

Hab. Whale-Fish Islands, 

26. Andromeda. 

43. Andromeda tetragona. Linn. Hooker in Scoresby's E. 
coast of W. Greenland, App. 410. Brown in Parry's 1st Voy. 
App. p. cclxxxi. Hooker in Parry's 2d Voy. App. p. 20, 

Hab. Whale Islands, but not in flower. Lieut. Ross. 

27. DlAPENSIA. 

44. Diapensia lapponica. 
Hab. Whale Island, very abundant. 

28. Empetrum. 

45. Empetrum nigrum. Linn. Hooker in Parry's 2d Voy. 
App. p. 20. 

Hab. Whale-Fish Islands, 



^04 APPENDIX. 

XII. SCROPHULARINjE. 

29. Pedicularis. 

46. Pedicularis hirsuta. Linn. Hooker in Parry's 2d Voy. 
App. p. 22. 

Hab. Port Bowen, Regent's Inlet. 

XIII. POLYGONEjE. 

30. OXYRIA. 

47. Oxyria reniformis. Hooker. Brown in Parry's 1st Voy. 
App. p. cclxxxii. 

Rumex digynus, Linn. 

Hab. North Somerset. Regent's Inlet. 

31. Polygonum. 

48. Polygonum viviparum. Linn. Brown in Parry's 1st" 
Voy. App. p. cclxxxi. Hooker in Parry's 2d Voy. p. 23. 

Hab. Port Bowen. Regent's Inlet. 

XIV. AMENTACEjE. 

32. Salix. 

49. Salix reticulata. Linn. Hooker in Parry's 2d Voy. 
App. p. 24. 

Hab. Whale Islands and Port Bowen ; scarce. Lieut. Ross. 
The specimens of this plant are very small, not larger than Salix herba- 
cea; is often to be seen on the Scottish mountains. 

50. Salix arctica. Brown in Parry's 1st Voy. App. p. cclxxxii. 
Hooker in Parry's 2d Voy. App. p. 24. 

Hab. Whale-Fish Islands, Port Bowen, and Regent's Inlet. 

51. Salix herbacea. Linn. Hooker in Parry's 2d Voy. 
App. p. 24. 

Hab. Whale-Fish Islands. 

52. Salix polaris. Wahl. Fl. Lapp. Hooker, in account of 
Capt. Sabine's Plants from E. coast of W. Greenland. Linn. 
Trans, v. 14. p. 387. 

Hab. Whale Islands, abundant. Lieut. Ross*. 



BOTANY. 205 

This plant was first discovered by Martins in Spitzbergen, where Captain 
Sabine has since gathered it. It does not seem to have been found else- 
where, except in Lapland, and in the habitat above mentioned. 

MONOCOTYLEDONES. 

XV. JUNCEtE. 

33. Juncus. 

53. Juncus biglumis. Linn. Brown in Parry's 1st Voy. 
App. p. cclxxxii. Hooker in Parry's 2d Voy. App. p. 24. 

Hab. Regent's Inlet. 

34. Luzula. 

54. Luzula hyperborea. Brown in Parry's 1st Voy. App. p. 
cclxxxiii. 

fi. minor; folis latioribus, bracteis partialibus vix fimbri- 
atis. Hooker in Parry's 2d Voy. App. p. 25. 
Hab. Regent's Inlet. 

XVI. CYPERACEjE. 

35. Carex. 

55. Carex fuliginosa. Sternb. and Hopp. Hooker in Parry's 
2d Voy. App. p. 26. 

Hab. "Whale Islands, Port Bowen, and North Somerset. Lieut. Ross. 

58. Carex membranacea. Hooker in Parry's 2d Voy. App. 
p. 26. 

Hab. North Somerset. Lieut. Ross. 

Lieut. Ross has marked the specimens he has been so good as to send 
me " Carex compacta ?" of Brown in Ross's Voyage. I have no means of 
determining this point, since I have never seen an authentic specimen, and 
no description has yet been given of it. It is certainly the same as my C. 
membranacea. 

XVII. GRAMINEiE. 

35. Alopecurus. 

57. Alopecurus alpinus. Smith. Brown in Parry's 1st 
Voy. App. p. cclxxxiv. Hooker in Parry's 2d Voy. App. 
p. 27. 

Hab. Whale-Fish Island. PortBowen. Regent's Inlet. 



206 APPENDS. 

37. Colpodium. 

58. Colpodium latifolium. Brown in Parry's 1st Voy. Ann. 
p. cclxxxvi. et cccix. Hooker in Parry's 2nd Voy. App. p. 28. 
cum Ic. 

Hab. Port Bowen. Regent's Inlet. 

38. Phippsia. 

59. Phippsia algida. Soland. in Phipps's Voy. p. 200. 
Wahl. Fl. Lapp. p. 25. t. 1. Brown in Parry's 1st Voy. App. 
p. clxxxvii. 

Hab. North Somerset. Lieut. Ross. 

39. Poa. 

60. Poa abbreviata. Brown in Parry's 1st Voy. App. p. 
dxxxvii. 

Hab. Port Bowen, very abundant. Lieut. Ross. 
6 Poa arctica. Brown in Parry's 1st Voy. App. p. 
eclxxxvii. Hooker in Parry's 2nd Voy. App. p. 28. 

Hab. North Somerset. Eegent's Inlet. 
*» Var. Vivipara. 

Hab. North Somerset. Lieut. Ross. 

40. PLEUROPOGON. 

62. Pleuropogon Sabini. Brown in Parry's 1st Voy. App. 
p. cclxxxix. t. D. Hooker in Parry's 2nd Voy. App. p. 29. 

Hab. North Somerset, scarce. Lieut. Ross. 

41. Deschampsia. 

63. Deschampsia brevifolia. Brown in Parry's 1st Voy. 
App. ccxci. Hooker in Parry's 2nd Voy. App. p. 29. 

Hab. Port Bowen. 

42. Trisetum. 

64. Trisetum subspicatum. Palisot. Brown in Parry's 1st 
Voy. App. p. ccxcii. Hooker in Parry's 2nd Voy. App. p. 29. 

Hab. North Somerset, very abundant. Lieut. Ross. 

43. Hierochloe. 

65. Hierochloe alpina. Roem. et Schult. Brown in Par- 
ry's 1st Voy. App. p. ccxciii. Hooker in Parry's 2nd Voy. 
App. p. 30. 



BOTANY. 207 

Hab. Cape Warrender, and North Somerset. Lieut. Ross. 
66. Hierochloe pauciflora. Brown in Parry's 1st Voy. App. 
p. ccxcii. Hooker in Parry's 2nd Voy. App. p. 30. 
Hab. North Somerset. 



ACOTYLEDONES. 

XVIII. FILICES. 

44. Aspidium. 

67. Aspidium fragile ? Swartz. Hooker in Parry's 2nd 
Voy. App. p. 30. 

Hab. Port Bowen, very scarce. Lieut. Ross. 

I have put a mark of doubt against this plant, because the only frond I 
have seen is young, and destitute of fructification, and because the pinna; 
appear to be more-divided than in our European plant of the same name. 

XIX. LYCOPODINEjE. 

45. Lycopodium. 

68. Lycopodium Selago. Linn. Hooker in Parry's 2nd 
Voy. App. p. 30. 

Hab. Whale-Fish Islands. 

XX. MUSCI. 

46. Brtum. 

69. Bryum caespitittium. Linn. Hooker in Parry's 2nd 
Voy. App. p. 31. 

Hab. Whale Islands. Lieut. Ross. 

47. Encalypta. 

70. Encalypta affinis. Hedw. Hooker in Parry's 2nd Voy, 
p. 37. 

Hab. Whale Islands and North Somerset. Lieut. Ross. 

48. POLYTRICHUM. 

71. Polytrichum juniperinum. Hedw. Hooker in Parry's 
2nd Voy. App. p. 38. 

Hab. Whale Islands. Lieutenant Ross, 



OQ8 APPENDIX. 

XXI. LICHENES. 

49. Gyrophora. 

72. Gyrophora tesselata. Ach. Hooker in Parry's 2nd 

Voy. App. p. . 

Hab. Port Bowen, collected off the rocks during the winter. Lieut. 

Ross. 

73. Gyrophora erosa. Ach. Brown in Scoresby s Arctic 
Regions. Hooker in Parry's 2nd Voy. App. p. 41. 

Hab. Whale Islands. Lieut. Ross. 

50. Lecanora. 

74. Lecanora elegans. Ach. Brown in Parry's 1st Voy. 
p. cccv. Hooker in Parry's 2nd Voy. App. p. 42. 

Hab. Whale Islands. Lieut. Ross. 

51. Cetraria. 

75. Cetraria islandica. Ach. Brown in Parry's 1st Voy. 
App. p. cccvi. Hooker in Parry's 2d Voy. App. p. 43. 

Hab. Whale Islands. Lieut. Ross. 

76. Cetraria juniperina. Ach. Brown in Parry's 1st Voy. 
App. p. cccv. Hooker in Parry's 2d Voy. App. p. 43. 

Hab Whale Islands and Port Bowen. J/ieut. Ross. ■ 

77. Cetraria nivalis. Ach. Brown in Parry's 1st Voy. App. 
p. cccvi. Hooker in Parry's 2d Voy. App. p. 43. 

Hab. Whale-Fish Islands. 

52. Cenomyce. 

78. Cenomyce vermicularis. Ach. Hooker in Parry's 2d 

Vov- App. p- 45. TT . 

Cerania vermicularis. Brown in Parry's 1st Voy. App. p. 

^Ib Whale Islands ; Port Bowen, and North Somerset. Lieut. Ross. 
79.'cennmyce rangiferina. Ach. Hooker in Parry s 2d 

Voy. A.pp. p- 44. 

Hab Whale Islands. Lieut. Ross. 

80. Cenomyce pyxidata. Ach. Brown in Parry s 1st Voy. 
App. p. cccvii. Hooker in Parry's 2d Voy. App. p. 44, 

Hab. Whale Islands. Lieut. Ross. 



BOTANY. 209 

81. Cenomyce gracilis. Hooker. Hooker in Parry's 2d 
Voy. App. p. 44. 

Hab. Whale Islands. Lieut. Ross. 

82. Cenomyce deformis. Ach. Syn. Lich. p. 268. Engl. 
Bot. t. 205 1 . Hooker, Fl. Scot. P. II. p. 63. 

Hab. Whale Islands. Lieut. Ross. 

83. Cenomyce coccifera. Ach. Syn. Lich. p. 269. Engl. 
Bot. t. 2051. Hooker, Fl. Scot. P. II. p. 63. 

Hab. Whale Islands. Lieut. Ross. 

84. Cenomyce bellidiflora. Ach. Syn. Lich. p. 270. Engl. 
Bot. t. 1894. Hooker, Fl. Scot. P. II. p. 64. 

Hab. Whale Islands. Lieut. Ross, 



27 



210 APPENDIX. 

NOTES 

ON THE GEOLOGY 

OF THE 

COUNTRIES DISCOVERED DURING CAPTAIN PARRY'S SECOND 
EXPEDITION. A. D. 1821-22-23. 

By Pbofessor Jameson, 



The length of the Arctic winter, the frequent covering of 
snow, even during the summer season, the extreme difficulty 
of land travelling, the necessary operations of the ships, — all 
militated against extensive and minute geological researches 
in the regions visited by the Expedition. Notwithstanding 
these almost insuperable barriers to the geologist, the activity 
and enterprise of the officers of the Hecla and Fury have made 
us acquainted in a general way with the geological nature of 
those rude, dreary, and desolate, although very interesting 
countries. 

The following few additional remarks, suggested by an ex- 
amination of the specimens of rocks collected by the officers 
of the Expedition, and by the details in the Narrative, were 
written at the request of Captain Parry. 

Form of the Land. — The lands discovered by the Expedition, 
during this voyage, with the exception of Melville Peninsula, 
are insular; and of these latter Southampton and Cockburn Is- 
lands are the largest, while Winter Island and Igloolik, for 
many reasons, may be considered as the most interesting. 

The land, whether continental or insular, appears in general 
to be hilly, with comparatively little low and flat country.* 
The hills are usually disposed in ranges, single hills seldom 

* In the map of Melville Peninsula, a great tract appears without hills, 
which is only thus laid down because it was not explored. 






GEOLOGY. 211 

appearing to rise from surrounding low and flat tracts. The 
general direction of the ranges of hills is not mentioned in the 
Narrative; but Captain Parry informs me that the most con- 
siderable range met with was in Melville Peninsula, which 
extended from the river Crozier, in lat. 69|, towards Cape 
Germain, in lat. 67|, ranging S. by E. and N. by W. The 
lands are not lofty; the average height may be stated at 800 
feet, and the highest summits measured did not exceed 1 500 
feet above the level of the sea. The valleys are narrow and 
rugged, and the cliff's and precipices, in their various fantastic 
bearings, sometimes exhibit fronts of more than an hundred 
feet of perpendicular height. The shores are either low, with 
a shallow sea, or they are rocky and cliffy, with a compara- 
tively deep sea. The submarine land varies in form, and also 
in mineralogical nature, as is shown by the soundings recorded 
in the Narrative; and the geognostical relations of the bottom 
of the sea with the rocks of the dry land, are in some measure 
pointed out by the facts stated by Captain Parry. The hills 
and valleys, during the greater part of the year, are deeply 
covered with water (the most abundant of all known mineral 
substances) in the state of snow and ice. The various beauti- 
ful colours, and striking and often highly picturesque forms, 
exhibited by the ices and snows of the Arctic Regions, are ad- 
mirably depicted in the Narrative; and we doubt not that the 
geologist would, in the lonely, snowy, and icy wastes of the 
North, meet with splendid displays of those beautiful illustra- 
tions of the formation of strata and veins, and of caves and 
caverns, which occur, although on a small scale, during the 
winter of Great Britain. 

No springs were met with. Captain Parry informs me that 
"no springs whatever were observed in the Arctic Regions 
visited by him, the ground at a short distance from the surface 
being perpetually frozen." During the short Arctic summer, 
temporary superficial springs will flow, but these in a few weeks 
will be again frozen up. Hot springs are reported, in some 
narratives, to have been seen in old Greenland; but nothing of 
this kind occurred during the course of the Expedition. 



212 APPENDIX. 



Lakes. — Several single lakes, and also chains of lakes, are 
mentioned in the Narrative. In general they appear to be of 
inconsiderable size and depth, the largest being only two or 
three miles in length. In Melville Peninsula lakes were met 
with about 15 fathoms deep in the places which were sounded; 
and Captain Parry thinks it probable that, in other parts, some 
of Ch'fem might be twice that depth. The colour of the lake 
water was, in general, brownish-green, and its transparency 
was in no instance very great. 

Rivers. — From the limited extent of the land, the rivers are 
neither numerous nor remarkable for size. Those most parti- 
cularly mentioned in the Narrative are the Barrow and the 
Crozier,in Melville Peninsula, and Gifford River, in Cockburn 
Island. Barrow River, in some parts of the few miles of its 
course surveyed, was about 200 yards broad; and, near to its 
mouth, varied in breadth from half a mile to 400 or 500 yards. 
Its banks are frequently steep and lofty, in some places being 
nearly 200 feet high, and ornamented by a vegetation unusually 
luxuriant for so severe a climate. But the most striking fea- 
ture of this fine river is its cascades, one of which is represent- 
ed in a beautiful drawing of Captain Lyon's, admirably en- 
graved by Finden. This cascade, with a breadth of forty yards, 
is precipitated in one vast continuous sheet of water, almost 
perpendicular, for 90 feet. Of the Crozier little is recorded. 
" Opposite to their tents it was about 200 yards broad, but this 
was only a branch of the main river." Gifford River appears of 
very considerable size, for we are told in the Narrative that it 
was about a mile and a half broad, and continued of the same 
breadth for fifteen miles. 

Soil. — The solid strata are sometimes covered with alluvial 
matter formed by the action of the weather on the subjacent 
rocks ; but I do not find the thickness of this cover or sub-soil 
noticed in the narrative. Captain Parry, however, informs me 
that " loose mineral matter of any kind seldom exceeds a foot' 
in thickness ; and beneath this the ground is literally frozen as 
hard as a rock, a pick-axe only bringing off dust and mere 
fragments, as from a mass of granite." Over this sub-soil]ies 
a layer, more or less thick, of vegetable soil. The depth of the 



GEOLOGY. 213 

vegetable soil, Captain Parry informs me, " seldom exceeds a 
very few, perhaps from four to five, inches, and that only in a 
few insulated spots, sheltered and otherwise favourable for ve- 
getation." More frequently, however, the bare surfaces of 
the. strata are exposed to the weather, and on these, and in the 
chinks of the rocks, a few plants, frequently cryptogamous, are 
seen struggling for existence. 

Rocks.'— The general aspect of these Arctic lands, already 
noticed, announce the nature of the prevailing rock formations. 
These appear to belong to the primitive, and occasionally to 
the transition classes. Of the interesting secondary formations 
little was met with. The alluvial strata are not particularly 
noticed in the Narrative ; and no modern volcanic rocks were 
seen by the officers of the Expedition. 

General direction of the Strata. — We do not find, in the 
Narrative, any observations which could lead us to state with 
certainty this feature in the arrangement of the strata. 



I. PRIMITIVE ROCKS. 

The following rocks of this great class were met with, viz.: 
Granite, Gneis, Mica-slate, Eurite-Porphyry, Hornblende-rock, 
Hornblende-slate, Primitive Greenstone, and Primitive Lime- 
stone. All these rocks occur more or less distinctly stratified, 
and numberless transitions of the one into the other were ob- 
served. Comparatively few interesting veins occur, and of 
these none remarkable either for breadth or extent were met 
with. 

GRANITE. 

'This rock, which in general is composed of felspar, quartz, 
and mica, exhibits the following characters. Some varieties 
are grey or white, others red, and these tints are owing to the 
colourof the felspar or quartz. The red varieties appear to 
be the most abundant, and of these the most beautiful owe their 
fine colours to flesh-red felspar. The quartz in general is grey- 
coloured, and simply thranslucent. In some varities, however, 



214 APPENDIX. 

it was in the state of grey and brown rock-crystal, which, when 
in cavities, is regularly crystallized. The mica, which varies 
in colour, from grey to deep-brown inclining to black, was, in 
some specimens, crystallized in tables; but we have not learned 
that it had been met with in large plates in the granite, or in 
any other of the primitive rocks. Some of the granites are 
without mica, and therefore composed of quartz and felspar. 
Others consist principally of felspar and mica; and on the 
coast to the north of Cape Wilson the granites were frequently 
almost entirely composed of felspar. Of all the varieties of 
the granular structure, the coarse granular is the most frequent, 
the collection containing but few specimens of the small and 
fine granular. Some varieties are beautifully porphyritic, as 
those from Duke of York's Bay, and the island of Neerlo- 
Nakto, Igloolik, and the south shore of the Strait of the Fury 
and Hecla ; while others exhibit the graphic structure, form- 
ing the graphic granite of authors. The columnar, tabular, 
and globular structures were not observed in any of the gra- 
nites, nor do we find that granite distinctly stratified was met 
with in Melville Peninsula, or in any of the islands. The 
following imbedded minerals occur in the granite : — 

1. Rose Quartz, in veins, in Lyon's Inlet, also in Winter 
Island, on the coast north of Cape Wilson, at Neerlo-Nakto, 
and Liddon Island. 

2. Actynolite, Lyon's Inlet. 

3. Pistacite or Efiidote. This mineral, generally of a yellow- 
ish-green colour, occurs either disseminated in minute patch- 
es in the felspar or quartz, or in beautiful small crystals in 
drusy cavities in Winter Island, Lyon's Inlet, near Moyle Bay, 
and on the coast to the north of Cape Wilson. 

4. Precious Garnet, transparent, and of a fine columbine- 
red colour, in Lyon's Inlet and Winter Island. 

5. Chlorite. In this variety the chlorite takes the place of 
the mica, forming the rock named firotogine by authors, and of 
which the summit of Mont Blanc in Switzerland is composed. 
It was met with in Winter Island and Lyon's Inlet. 

6. Schorl. In Winter Island a granite was picked up con- 
taining schorl, and very minute crystals of beryl. Schorla- 



GEOLOGY. 215 

ceous granite was also found on the coast north of Cape Wil- 
son. 

7. Cocolite. In a small piece of granite found on the coast 
north of Cape Wilson. 

8. Zircon. In a small fragment from Barrow river, minute 
crystals, apparently of zircon. 

9. Graphite or Black-lead, in disseminated grains and crys- 
tals, in Winter Island and on the banks of Barrow River. 

10. Specular Iron Ore, in granite in Winter Island. 

11. Iron Pyrites. This mineral, which is one of the most 
generally distributed of the metalliferous compounds in dif- 
ferent countries, was observed in the granite of Winter Island, 
that of Safety Cove, and the coast north of Cape Wilson. 

Geognostical Position of the Granite. — Neither the details 
before us nor the specimens, allow us to infer with anything 
like certainty the place or places, in the primitive series, oc- 
cupied by the granite here described. Some of the varieties 
very much resemble those that form part of the granite-gneiss 
formation ; others may belong to the varieties that occur in 
vast masses underlying gneiss. 

Geographical Distribution of the Granite.— Specimens were 
brought from the shore of the Duke of York's Bay, Lyon's 
Inlet, Five-hawser Bay, Upper Savage Island, west shore of 
York Inlet, head of Gore Bay, Ducket Cove, Winter Island, 
near Moyle Bay, Safety Cove, coast north of Cape Wilson, 
Owlitteeweek Island, Barrow River, Igloolik, Neerlo-Nakto 
island westward of Igloolik, south shore of the Strait of the 
Fury and Hecla, t'oxe's Islands, Richards Bay, Amherst Island, 
and Liddon Island. 

II. GNEISS. 

The colours of this rock are red and grey, and its fracture is 
sometimes coarse, sometimes fine slaty. The concretions vary 
in size from coarse to fine granular, and the coarse granular 
varieties sometimes pass into granite. Judging from the col- 
lection, and the details in the Narrative, gneiss appears to be 
the most abundant of all the primitive rocks in the countries 



216 APPENDIX. 

explored by the Expedition. The following imbedded mine* 
rals were found in it : — 

1. Precious Garnet. This beautiful gem occurs abundantly 
in grey gneiss in Five-hawser Bay, also in Winter Island, where 
hyacinth red garnets are associated with rock-crystal, in Lyon's 
Inlet, and in the rocks of Safety Cove. 

2. Rose Quartz. In the Narrative, it is remarked of Ren- 
dezvous Island, that it is composed of gneiss traversed by rich 
veins of rose quartz, and that large masses of the same were 
lying around. 

3. Actynolite, in the gneiss on the banks of Barrow River. 

4. Graphite, or Black Lead. In Winter Island, Five- 
hawser Bay, coast to the North of Cape Wilson. 

5. Magnetic Iron Pyrites, in the gneiss on the coast to the 
north of Cape Wilson. 

6. Common Iron Pyrites, on the coast to the north of Cape 
Wilson. 

Geographical distribution. — Shore of Duke of York's Bay, 
Vansittart Island, Upper Savage Island, York Inlet, head 
of Gore Bay, near Cape Wellsford, Winter Island, nearMoyle 
Bay, Safety Cove, coast north of Cape Wilson, Owlitteeweek 
Island, Barrow River, Richards Bay, and Igloolik. Other 
localities are given in the Narrative. 

III. MICA-SLATE. 

This slaty compound of mica and quartz occurs in compara- 
tively small quantity, and, judging from the details and speci- 
mens, seems in general to form beds subordinate to the gneiss, 
which, as already mentioned, is the prevailing formation in the 
Arctic countries discovered by the Expedition. Some varie- 
ties appear passing into clay-slate, and these may be more con- 
nected with the clay-slate than with the gneiss. The follow- 
ing minerals occur imbedded : — 

1. Hornblende, in the rocks of Five-hawser Bay, and in those 
of Neerlo-Nakto. 

2. Actynolite. Five-hawser Bay. 

3. Tremolite. Five-hawser Bay. 



geology. 217 

,. 4. Precious Garnet and Grenatite. These were detected 
in a small specimen from Igloolik. 

5. Rock Crystal, in small clove-brown and brownish-black 
crystals, at Five-hawser Bay. 

6. Common Iron Pyrites, and Magnetic Iron Pyrites, in spe- 
cimens gathered in Igloolik. 

Geographical Distributions — Lyon's Inlet, Winter Island in 
considerable quantity, coast north of Cape Wilson, Igloolik, 
south shore of the Strait of the Fury and Hecla, Quilliam, 
Creek, and Bouyerie Island. 

IV. CLAY-SLATE. 

This rock appears to have been met with even less frequently 
than the mica-slate. It is noted as occurring in Winter Island, 
Richards Bay, where it contains imbedded iron-pyrites, the 
coast to the northward of Cape Wilson, and in Bouverie 
Island. 

V. CHLORITE-SLATE. 

This rock occurs more abundantly than either mica-slate or 
clay-slate, but not in such quantity as the quartz-rock of the 
transition class. The following imbedded minerals were met 
with in it :-— 

1. Actynolite. 

2. Hornblende. 

3. Felspar of a red colour. 

4. Indurated Talc, or Talc-slate, in Winter Island, and with 
apple-green talc in Igloolik. 

5. Massive Common Chlorite, on the coast north of Cape 
Wilson. 

6. Calcareous Spar and Rhomb Spar: South shore of the 
Strait of the Fury and Hecla, also in Igloolik. 

7. Precious Garnet, in Igloolik. 

8. Octahedral crystals of Magnetic Iron Ore. Barrow 
River. 

9. Red Iron Ore. 

10. Iron Pyrites. 

Geographical Distribution. — Lyon's Inlet, Winter Island, 

28 



318 APPENDIX. 

coast to the northward of Cape Wilson, Barrow River, Igloolik 3 
south shore of the Strait of the Fury and Hecla, Neerlo-Nakto, 
Quilliam Creek, Bouverie Island, Amherst Island, Liddon 
Island, and Richards Bay. 

VI. HORNBLENDE. 

This mineral occurs in the form of beds, and also dissemi- 
nated, in the other primitive formations. Sometimes the mass 
is almost entirely of hornblende, when it is named hornblende- 
rock, of which beds occur at the head of Gore Bay, in Lyon's 
Inlet, Safety Cove, Winter Island, coast north of Cape Wilson, 
Five-hawser Bay, and Tern Island. When the hornblende is 
arranged so as to form a slaty rock, it is named hornblende- 
slate, of which beds were met with in Winter Island. When 
the hornblende is associated with felspar, the compound is 
named greenstone, of which examples were found in Igloolik, 
and in the island of Neerlo-Nakto. 

The imbedded minerals in these rocks are felspar, mica, 
chlorite, actynolite, quartz, diallage, common iron pyrites, and 
magnetic pyrites. It may be remarked that the variety of horn- 
blende named actynolite appears also to occur in beds asso- 
ciated with the hornblende and other primitive rocks. 

VII. SERPENTINE. 

This rock, considered by some as a compound of diallage and 
felspar, by others as a simple mountain rock, was met with in 
different quarters. Its colours are dark leek-green and greenish 
black ; the lustre glimmering ; the fracture splintery, or splin- 
tery conjoined with conchoidal ; more or less translucent. The 
following imbedded minerals were observed :— 

1. Brown Diallage. 

2. Glassy Actynolite. 

3. Fibrous Greenish-gray Talc. 

4. Flexible Asbestus. 

5. Rhomb-sfiar and Calcareous-sfiar. 

6. Chrome Ore or Chr ornate of Iron. 

7. Magnetic Iron Ore. 

8. Iron Pyrites. 



GEOLOGY. 210 

Geographical Distribution. — Lyon's Inlet, near Moyle Bay, 
in Winter Island, Liddon Island, Neerlo-Nakto, and Bouverie 
Island. 

VIII. LIMESTONE. 

All the varieties of this rock in the collection are composed 
of coarse and small granular concretions, loosely aggregated, 
and the only colours observed were snow-white and greyish- 
white. The following imbedded minerals occur in it : — 

1. Small but beautiful crystals of Mica, at Five-hawser Bay, 
and in Winter Island and Barrow River. 

2. Augite, at Lyon's Inlet, Barrow River, and Winter Island. 

3. With Serpentine, forming Verde-antico. Winter Island. 

4. Precious Serpentine. Winter Island. 

5. Sphene, and Titanitic Iron. Winter Island. 

6. Graphite or Black Lead. Coast northward of Cape Wil- 
son, Barrow River, and Igloolik. 

Geographical Distribution. — Five-hawser Bay, Lyon's Inlet, 
Winter Island, coast northward of Cape Wilson, Barrow River, 
and Igloolik. 

IX. PORPHYRY. 

In the collection of rocks I found but one specimen of por- 
phyry, which is eurite porphyry, a rock which may be consi- 
dered as a variety of granite. It was found in Five-hawser Bay. 
The total absence of porphyry in the primitive districts visited 
by Captain Parry is worthy of notice. 



II. TRANSITION ROCKS. 

The following rocks, apparently belonging to this class, were 
met with in different places : -viz., Red Sandstone and Quartz- 
rock, Greywacke-slate, Drawing-slate, Flinty-slate, and Lime- 
stone. 



220 AJtENDlX, 

1. qUARTZ-ROCK AND RED SANDSTONE. 

Red and variegated Sandstone of the Narrative. Old Red Sand- 
stone and Transition Quartz-rock, Transition Red Sandstone, 
and Recent or New Greytvucke of authors. 

This interesting rock is composed of granular quartz, some- 
times nearly in the state of rock crystal. The granular is some- 
times combined with the slaty structure in those varieties in 
which mica prevails. Grains and crystals of felspar are oc- 
casionally distributed through it. The felspar is either fresh, 
or more or less disintegrated. Some varieties have a structure 
apparently conglomerated, and others bear a striking resem- 
blance to the gritstone which lies under the coal formation. 
Some varieties, met with in Neerlo-Nakto, are vesicular, the 
walls of the vesicular cavities being lined with small crystals 
of quartz, and bear a distant resemblance to Buhr-stone. The 
colours are white, grey, purple, and red ; and sometimes the 
colours are arranged in stripes. The white, or grey and hard 
varieties may be considered as transition quartz-rock ; the red 
and variegated as transition red sandstone or recent greywacke. 
The following imbedded minerals occur in it :— 

1. Felspar. 

2. Mica. 

3. Chlorite. This variety is either slaty or massive. 

4. Pale Rose Quartz, at Lyon's Inlet. 

5. JEfiidote, or Pistacite. This mineral, minutely dissemina- 
ted, gives, we presume, the yellowish-green colour to some 
rare varieties of this rock. 

6. Rock Crystal, in small crystals, in cavities of quartz- 
rock in Liddon Island. 

7. Schorl, in the quartz-rock of Winter Island. 

8. Red Iron Ore. Neerlo-Nakto. 

9. Crystals of Common Iron Glance and Red Iron Ore, in 
Liddon Island, and Neerlo Nakto. Scaly foliated iron glance 
in Liddon Island, and at Cape Matthew Smith. Here also, 
small foliated iron glance alternates in layers with small-gran- 
ular white quartz-rock. 

10. Scaly foliated Iron Glance, Richard's Bay ; and the same 
associated with red iron froth in specimens from Igloolik. 



geologut. 221 

11. Compact Red Iron Ore, at Cape Matthew Smith, and 
Richards Bay ; also in Bouverie Island, along with quartz in- 
clining to rock-crystal, and also in Amherst Island. 

12. Copper Pyrites with Copper Green ; also copper pyrites 
with compact iron glance, in Richards Bay. 

13. Quartz-rock, in which the grains or concretions appear 
to be connected together by copper pyrites, and the surface 
stained with Green Malachite. 

14. Quartz-Rock with Magnetic Iron Ore. 

Geognostic Situation. — This rock appears to belong to the 
transition class. It very much resembles, in its associations, 
the transition quartz-rock and red sandstone of Scotland, as 
that of Sutherland and Caithness. It may be remarked, that 
probably some of the specimens of quartz-rock enumerated 
above, as those with schorl, may belong to the primitive class. 

Geographical Distribution.-— Upper Savage Islands, west 
shore of Duke of York's Bay, Five-hawser Bay, Lyon's Inlet, 
Winter Island, Safety Cove, island of Owlitteeweek, island oil* 
Cape Wilson, coast north of Cape Wilson, Igloolik, Cape 
North-east, south shore of the Strait of the Fury and Hecla, 
Neerlo-Nakto, Quilliam Creek, Richards Bay, Bouverie Island, 
Amherst Island, Liddon Island, along the south shore of Cock- 
burn Island onward to Whyte Inlet. 



II. GREYWACKE, GREYWACKE-SLATE, AND TRANSITION CLAY- 
SLATE. 

Greywacke and Greywacke-slate, with disseminated iron 
pyrites, occur in Winter-Island, at Neerlo-Nakto, and in Am- 
herst Island. The transition clay-slate was met with in Bou- 
verie Island. 

III. FLINTY-SLATE AND DRAWING-SLATE- 

The only specimen of flinty-slate is one from Lyon's Inlet. 
The drawing-slate was seen in Winter Island, and specimens 
of it with disseminated iron pyrites were picked up in 
Igloolik. 



222 APPENDIX. 



IV. TRANSITION LIMESTONE. 



From the Narrative, it appears that Amherst Island is prin- 
cipally composed of greywacke and greywacke-slate ; and along 
with these is a limestone, probably belonging to the transition 

class. 

III. SECONDARY ROCKS. 

The only secondary rocks of which specimens were brought 
home, are limestone, bituminous shale, and secondary trap. 

I. LIMESTONE. 

Mountain Limestone, or First Secondary Limestone : the Tran- 
sition Limestone of some geologists. 

The colours of this limestone are yellowish-grey, yellowish- 
white, and ochre-yellow. In some varieties the fracture is 
coarse splintery, combined with minute-foliated ; in others the 
general fracture is foliated, and throughout the mass are cavi- 
ties the walls of which are lined with rhomboidal crystals. 
Other varieties again have a slaty fracture; lustre glimmering 
or shining, and translucent on the edges, or opaque. Flint and 
conchoid al hornstone occur imbedded in it. It contains vari- 
ous organic remains. The following occur in the limestone of 
the island of Igloolik. Corals, two genera, viz., Caryophyllea 
and Astreea. A species of a new genus of coral was found in a 
piece of limestone by that excellent observer Mr. Stokes, who 
communicated the following account of it :■ — " The new fossil 
coral is a flat lobe, covered on both sides with pores, which are 
obscurely laminated, and each pore or cell is continued through 
the substance of the coral. The cells are arranged in curved 
radii from a centre, like the lines upon an engine-turned watch- 
case, and (which is unusual in corals) increase in size as they 
are more distant from the centre. On one surface the cells ap- 
pear to be all four-sided, in which respect also they differ from 
all other corals." Casts of two species of Trilobites, one spe- 
cies of /irocluctus, a species of terebratula, a species of troc/ius, 
a turritella, a maclurite, and also a nautilus and orthoceras were 
detected in the limestone. 



GEOLOGY. 228 

Of all the fossil organic remains, the most abundant in the 
collection is a species of orthocera, similar to one sent me 
some years ago from an island in Lake Huron, by the Hon. 
Mr. Maule, and of which a figure is given in the first volume 
of the new series of the Transactions of the Geological Society. 

Geographical Distribution.' — Shoal in York Bay, west shore 
of York Bay, Ducket Cove, Amitioke, Pingitkalik, Arlagnuk, 
Mogg.Bay, and Quilliam Creek, in Melville Peninsula; Win- 
ter Island, Lyon Inlet, Safety Cove, Igloolik, Tern Island, is- 
land of Owlitteeweek, Bouverie Island, and Amherst Island. 
The island of Igloolik, which is very low and rather level, is 
almost entirely composed of this limestone. The specimens 
of primitive rocks from that island in the collection, Captain 
Parry informs me were broken from detached masses, lying 
on the surface of the limestone, there being no fixed primitive 
rock in the island. The next island to the north-west, called 
Neerlo-Nakto, is also principally composed of limestone, but 
abounding much more than Igloolik in fragments of primitive 
rock. 

II. BITUMINOUS SHALE. 

Specimens of this rock from Lyon's Inlet and Winter Island, 
are in the collection. It is a common rock in the coal forma- 
tion ; but of that foraiation no other trace was met with. 

III. SECONDARY GREENSTONE. 

This rock, which is a compound of augite and felspar, was 
met with in different places ; but its particular geognostic re- 
lations are not given, and cannot be inferred with any certainty 
from the data before us. Specimens were collected in Lyon's 
Inlet ; at Safety Cove, where it is porphyritic ; in Winter Is- 
land, where it has titanitic iron ore disseminated through it, 
and sometimes is iron-shot and porphyritic. On the coast to 
the north of Cape Wilson it contains veins of calcareous spar. 
It was met with in Tern Island, also in Amherst Island, and in 
Whyte's Inlet, in Cockburn Island. 



224 APPENDIX. 



IV. ALLUVIAL ROCKS. 

No extensive deposites of alluvial rocks were met with. The 
most striking objects under this head are the outliers or boul- 
ders or fragments of rocks found spread over the surface of 
some of the islands. The surface of Igloolik, a limestone is- 
land, is strewed With blocks of primitive rocks; the island of 
Neerlo-Nakto, which is principally composed of limestone, is 
also strewed over with primitive blocks or boulders ; and in 
Amherst Island, in which greywacke and greywacke-slate are 
almost the only rocks, rolled masses or boulders of granite, 
gneiss and quartz-rock, are not uncommon. 



GEOLOGY- 225 



NOTES ON THE GEOLOGY 

OF THE 

COUNTRIES VISITED DURING CAPTAIN PARRY'S THIRD 
VOYAGE. 



The first landing was made on the Whale-fish Islands, on the 
east coast of Baffin's Bay, which my friend and pupil, Dr. Neill, 
as mentioned in the Narrative, found to be composed of gneiss. 
On crossing Davis' Straits, the next land visited was Cap6 
Warrender, where all the fixed rocks, according to Dr. Neill, 
proved to be primitive, and the principal or only formation 
gneiss, which, as is very generally the case with that rock in 
these Arctic countries, abounded with imbedded grains and 
crystals of precious garnet. Nodules of clay iron ore were 
found on the beach, but want of time prevented their original 
position from being determined. The ice having forced the 
vessels close to the land a little to the eastward of Admiralty 
Inlet, on the south coast of Barrow's Strait, a landing was 
effected. The country, as far as Dr. Neill penetrated, was of 
compact secondary limestone. On the beach were fragments 
of bituminous slate and of ironstone. Mr. Ross found pieces 
of coal about two-thirds up a small peak of limestone. The 
coal, Dr. Neill informs me, was not black, but brown coal, and 
therefore belongs to a new formation of that mineral. The 
vessels now forced their way to Port Bowen in Prince Regent's 
Inlet, where they remained during the winter. Expeditions 
were made from Port Bowen toward the north and toward the 
south, also to the west side of the Inlet upon the coast called 
North Somerset. The whole country travelled over on both 
sides of the inlet appeared to consist of secondary limestone, 
with subsidiary beds of gypsum. No high land was met with j 

29 



226 APPENDIX. 

but on the coast, as at Cape York, perpendicular and high lime^ 
stone cliffs made their appearance. The specimens of lime~ 
stone in the collection sent for my inspection exhibited the fol- 
lowing characters : — 

1. Secondary Limestone of Port Bowen, JVeill's Harbour, &c. 

Its colours are ash-grey and yellowish-grey, more or less incli- 
ning to ochre-yellow and yellowish-brown. In some varieties 
the brown colours are disposed in horizontal stripes. The lustre 
is glimmering ; the fracture is splintery, or splintery combined 
with minute foliated, or simply granular foliated, and some va- 
rieties are slaty. It is more or less translucent on the edges, and 
generally yields readily to the knife. Some varieties, however, 
are so hard as to give a few sparks with steel. All the varieties, 
by friction, give out that disagreeable smell which is so well 
known in stinkstone, and to which mineral they may be referred. 
The external characters intimate its magnesian character, which 
is confirmed by the experiments of Dr. Neill, who found it to 
contain from 20 to 30 per cent, of carbonate of magnesia. 

It is everywhere very distinctly stratified, and the strata are 
uniformly horizontal. Imbedded in them masses of chert occur, 
but not frequently. The organic remains observed in the lime- 
stone are entrochites, catinulariae, spiropore, turbinoliae, favo- 
sites, several species of terebratulae, a trochus, a turritella, and 
an orthoceratite. 

On the upper parts of the hills around Port Bowen, generally 
on the surface of a brick-red limestone, mentioned by Dr. Neill 
in the Narrative, were found masses of fibrous brown iron ore, 
or brown hematite. These, in all probability, were derived from 
veins or imbedded masses in the limestone. In the cliffs, caves 
are of frequent occurrence, and these often of very considerable 
magnitude. 

This, which may be called Port Bowen limestone, extends 
onwards to Cape York, and, according to the observations made 
during the second voyage, even to Admiralty Inlet and Posses- 
sion Bay, and was met with as far south in Prince Regent's 
Inlet as the Expedition explored. 



GEOLOGY. 



327 



II. Secondary Limestone of North Somerset. 

The country on the west side of Prince Regent's Inlet, named 
North Somerset, was examined in part, and there, as on the 
east side, at Port Bowen and elsewhere, the solid stratified rocks 
were everywhere of secondary formation, and the principal ruck 
limestone. The specimens from that quarter exhibit the fol- 
lowing characters :-— 

1. Limestone of North Somerset. 

Its colours are ash, greyish-black, and yellowish-grey ; lustre 
glimmering; fracture splintery, or splintery combined with 
minute foliated, and some varieties slaty ; opaque, or more or 
less translucent on the edges; by friction yields the urinous smell 
of stinkstone, but not so strongly as most of the limestones of 
Port Bowen. It is distinctly stratified, and the strata are every- 
where horizontal. It affords the same organic remains as the 
limestone of Port Bowen, with addition of a species of modiola. 
Of all the fossils the terebratulae and encrini appear to be the 
most abundant. Caves occur in it, as at Port Bowen ; and fre- 
quently it exhibits cliffs of considerable height. 

2. Gyfi8um of North Somerset. 

This mineral was found in beds several feet thick, extending for 
at least thirty miles through the country, and associated with a 
limestone, which, when near the gypsum, abounded in terebra- 
tulae, also contained entrochi, and a species apparently of modi- 
ola. All the varieties of this gypsum are of a snow-white co- 
lour, and of these the granular foliated, the fibrous, and selenite, 
were met with, but not the compact. The selenite was very 
abundant, and its broad plates at a distance reflected the sun's 
rays like mirrors. It occurs more than a hundred feet above 
the level of the sea, and, with its slaty limestone, rests on the 
more common and compact kinds, which agree in every cha- 
racter with those of Port Bowen. 



228 APPENDIX, 

Geognostical Situation of the Limestone of Port Bowen, North 
Somerset, isfc. 

From the data before us, it is not easy to refer all the limestones 
of Prince Regent's Inlet to their places in the geognostical se- 
ries. The limestone associated with gypsum in North So- 
merset may safely be referred to the second secondary lime- 
stone formation, the first or oldest floetz limestone of Werner. 
The lower limestones of North Somerset, and those of Port 
Bowen, Neill's Harbour, and of most of the country on the east 
side of Prince Regent's Inlet, may either form part of the se- 
cond secondary limestone, — a supposition countenanced by the 
universal horizontality of its strata, its magnesian character, 
its brown hematite, and certain organic remains it contains ; 
or it may belong to the first secondary limestone, — a conjecture 
not destitute of plausibility, when we recollect its imbedded 
chert, and the characters of some of its fossil organic remains. 
As gypsum and limestone occur near to Possession Bay, we 
must refer these to the second secondary limestone. The hori- 
zontality of the limestone strata on the north side of Barrow's 
Strait seems to point it out as probably belonging to the se- 
cond secondary formation. 

III. Alluvial Rocks, 

Alluvial marly deposites,from the snow waters passing through 
and along the surface of the limestone strata in the summer 
season, occur in the valleys, and on the shore ; also fragments 
of the limestone from the same source. The limestone hills 
around Port Bowen and Neill's harbour, and the whole lime- 
stone country extending as far north as Cape York, and to the 
southward as far as Cape Fitzgerald, were, as Dr. Neill informs 
me, more or less covered with boulders of primitive rocks, 
which were either rounded or angular. Similar boulders were 
observed strewed over the limestone on the west side of Prince 
Regent's Inlet in North Somerset. The specimens from the 
boulders around Port Bowen, in the collection, are of granite, 
sienite, gneiss, indurated talc, hornblende-rock, actynolite-rock. 



GE0L06T. 229 

a beautiful quartzy iron-glance, and brown hematite. The 
boulders of granite, gneiss, and sienite, were the most numerous 
and largest ; those of talc, actynolite, and ores, less numerous 
and smaller. Some of the boulders near to Port Bowen, Dr* 
Neill informs me, were upwards of 50 tons in weight, and lay 
fully 400 feet above the level of the sea ; and he saw a boulder of 
granite, two or three tons weight, resting on the summit of the 
highest limestone hill in the vicinity of Port Bowen. On in- 
quiring as to the mode of distribution of these boulders, Dr. 
Neill informed me that they were numerous along the acclivi- 
ties of the hills on both sides of Prince Regent's Inlet, every- 
where resting upon the secondary limestone ; but on leaving the 
coast, they gradually diminished in number and also in size, 
and, at a distance of from fourteen to sixteen miles from the 
sea, they were comparatively rare, and in general not larger 
than a closed fist. These remarkable masses, Dr. Neill further 
mentioned, more nearly resembled the primitive rocks of the 
Whale-fish Islands than of any other quarter visited by the Ex-, 
pedition ; and even the nearest known fixed primitive rocks 
were those of O-s**^* vw *"••">•» j -"»•*■ wr^ —a* «^ t*n** ' — .-i-..-.- 5 — - 1 
distant. 



.230 APPENDIX. 



CONCLUDING REMARKS. 



The observations made during the four Arctic Expeditions, 
viz., that under Captain Ross, and the three under Captain 
Parry, afford the following general facts and inferences :•— 

1 . That the regions explored abound in primitive and transi- 
tion rocks, and that, although the secondary rocks occupy con- 
siderable tracts, still their extent is more limited than that of 
the older formations ; that the alluvial deposites are not exten- 
sive ; that true or modern volcanic rocks were nowhere met 
with ; and that the only traces of the tertiary strata were found 
in the sandstones and clays connected with the secondary traps 
of Baffin's Bay. 

2. That the primitive and transition islands were, in all pro- 
bability, at one time connected together, and formed a continu- 
ous mass with the continental parts of America ; and that, in 
the plains and hollows of this land, were deposited the secon- 
dary limestones, sandstones, gypsum, and coal, and upon these 
again the tertiary rocks. 

3. That, after the deposition of these secondary and tertiary 
rocks, the land appears to have been broken up, and reduced 
either suddenly or by degrees, or partly by sudden and violent 
action and partly by the long-continued agency of the atmos- 
phere and the ocean, into its present insular and peninsular 
form ; and that, consequently, the secondary and tertiary for- 
mations were formerly, in those regions, more extensively dis- 
tributed than they are at present. 

4. That, previously to the deposition of the coal formation, 
as that of Melville Island, the transition and primitive hills and 
plains supported a rich and luxuriant vegetation, principally of 
cryptogamous plants, especially tree ferns, the prototypes of 
which are now met with only in the tropical regions of the 
earth. The fossil corals of the secondary limestones also inti- 
mate that, before, during, and after the deposition of the coal 
formation, the waters of the ocean were so constituted as to 



GEOLOGY. 231 

support polyparia closely resembling those of the present equa- 
torial seas. 

5. That, previously to and during the deposition of the ter- 
tiary strata, these now frozen regions supported forests of di- 
cotyledonous trees, as is shown by the fossil dicotyledonous 
woods met with in connexion with these strata in Baffin's Bay, 
and by the fossil wood of Melville Island, Cape York, and By- 
am Martin Island. 

6. That the boulders or rolled blocks met with in different 
quarters, and in tracts distant from their original localities, af- 
ford evidence of the passage of water across them, and at a pe- 
riod subsequent to the deposition of the newest solid strata, 
namely, those of the tertiary class. 

7. That nowhere are there any discoverable traces of the 
agency of modern volcanoes ; and we may add, that in the Arc- 
tic Regions the only known appearances of this kind are those 
in Jan Mayen's Island, described by Scoresby. 

8. That the only intimations of older volcanic action, are those 
afforded by the presence of secondary trap rocks, such as basalt, 
greenstone, trap-tufa, and amygdaloid. 

9. That the black bituminous coal, the coal of the oldest coal 
formation, which some speculators maintain to be confined to 
the more temperate and warmer regions of the earth, is now 
proved, by its discovery in Melville Island, far to the west, and 
in Jameson's land, far to the east, in Old Greenland, to form 
an interesting and important feature in the geognostical consti- 
tution of Arctic countries. 

10. That the red sandstone of Possession Bay, &c, renders it 
probable that rock-salt may occur in that quarter. 

11. That, although no new metalliferous compounds have 
occurred to gratify the curiosity of the mineralogist, yet the re- 
gions explored by Captain Parry have afforded various interest- 
ing and highly useful ores, such as octahedral or magnetic iron 
ore, rhomboidal or red iron ore, prismatic or brown iron ore, 
and prismatic chrome ore or chromate of iron ; also the com- 
mon ore of copper, or copper pyrites, molybdaena glance, or 
sulphuret of molybdaena ; ore of titanium, and that interesting 
and valuable mineral, graphite, or black lead, 



11 374V 



H 



"1 

232 APPENDIX. ^»- 

12. That the gems, the most valued and most beautiful of 
mineral substances, are not wanting in the Arctic Regions 
visited by the Expeditions, is proved by the great abundance of 
the precious garnet, which we doubt not will be found, on more 
particular examination of the primitive rocks, to present all the 
beautiful colours and elegant forms for which it is so much ad- 
mired. Rock-crystal, another of the gems, was met with, and 
also beryl and zircon. 

13. That these newly-discovered lands exhibit the same ge- 
neral geognostical arrangements as occur in all other ei tensive 
tracts of country hitherto examined by the naturalist; a fact which 
strengthens that opinion which maintains that the grand fea- 
tures of nature, in the mineral kingdom, are every where simi- 
lar, and, consequently, that the same general agencies must have 
prevailed generally during the formation of the solid mass of 
the earth. 

14. Lastly, that the apparent irregularities which at first 
sight present themselves to our attention, in the grand ar- 
rangements in the mineral kingdom, are the offspring of our 
own feeble powers of observation, 'and disappear when the 
phenomena are examined in all their relations. It is then in- 
deed that the mind obtains those enduring and sublime views of 
the power of the Deity, which, in geology, reward the patient 
observer, raise one of the most beautiful and interesting de- 
partments of natural science to its true rank, and prove that its 
relations connect, as it were, in the scale of magnitude, the 
phenomena of the earth with those more extensive arrange- 
ments presented to our intelligence in the planetary system, 
and in the grand framework of the universe itself. 

Robert Jamesc*. 

Moyal Museum, College, Edinburgh, 
April 24, 1826. 



THE END, 



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